Eternally Mine
by Jo A Curl
Summary: A/U What if Jeff Clark had never appeared on the road to Eagle Hill Cemetery? Barnabas was then allowed to have Vicki on a ship and out of Collinwood and married on the high seas? This is a look at what might have happened that evening. Barnabas finally gets what he wanted his Josette by his side for eternity or will forces still intervene with what should have occurred?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The Elopement

Collins Mausoleum

Vicki watched Barnabas pull the ring on the ornamental lion's head and held her breath. Barnabas had slid the hidden lever over so the door would not activate revealing the secret room. Barnabas made a play of struggling to pull the lever and then turned to Vicki. "It would appear my dear you were mistaken." Vicki slipped past him and attempted to pull the ring herself. It did not budge. Sighing she stepped back and looked at Barnabas. "I must have dreamt it. All of it, I, was so sure there was a secret room behind that door."

Taking her elbow and guiding her to the door he spoke softly. It is all right my dear, come we must be on the ship before dawn." Vicki let him lead her to the exterior of the mausoleum and back to her borrowed car. Barnabas opened her door to the car and then stepped to the passenger side door to join her. Glancing at the clock on the dash, she saw it was just past 3 a.m. "We will have plenty of time." Starting the car, she navigated the roads arriving at the parking lot near the docks.

Collinsport Docks

Once again, Barnabas opened his door, slid out and walked to the driver's side of the car to open her door, "Wait, I need to get my suitcase." The scuffing of rocks and footfalls alerted both of them to the arrival of another individual. Vicki looked up to see the outline of a man standing in the darkening shadows. Barnabas glanced up and spoke, "Willie, please take the keys to the car and collect Miss Winters luggage."

Willie stepped forward and his face was now visible under dock lights. Willie nodded and shifted to Vicki's side. Without a single exchange of words, Vicki handed the keys over to Willie and he walked silently to the rear of the car. Barnabas laid his hand against Vicki's back and escorted her towards a sleek, large vessel. The bow of the ship boasted the freshly painted name of the Lady Victoria.

On Board the Victoria

"My wedding gift to you my dear, as for the clothing you brought with you, I took the liberty of purchasing clothing more befitting a woman of your new station. I hope you don't mind?" They walked up the ramp and paused before boarding the ship.

Vicki turned to face him and shook her head. "No, no, not in the least. I am to be your wife, you are entitled to do as you wish."

Barnabas smiled and placed a kiss on her cheek. "I hope you don't mind but I also packed some of Josette's clothing, I thought we could re-create a moment from the past as we did at the old house."

Again, Vicki gave him a shy smile and nodded, "I would like that as well."

Barnabas smiled and then watched the Captain of the ship approach them, "Ahh Captain Black. May I present my fiancé' Victoria Winters, Victoria this is our captain and the person whom will marry us at sea tomorrow evening."

The captain removed his hat and smiled, "A pleasure to meet you Miss Winters, we have prepared a suite of rooms for you. At Mr. Collins request I was fortunate enough to find you a maid to help you should you need it."

Barnabas smiled, "Excellent, how were you able to do this on such short notice?" Barnabas held his hand lightly on the small of her back. Leading her onto the ships deck he followed the captain.

The Captain replaced his hat and invited them to board, and then walking towards the forward deck, he spoke "It would seem that Mrs. Clark missed her husband's departure due to a 2 hour delay at the Bangor airport. He sailed on one of he earlier ships, then discovered he had left some important equipment behind for his employer and requested his wife bring it with her on the next ship out."

Willie arrived behind them shuffling to a halt and looking around nervously. "Willie, would you please show Victoria to her room and then have Mrs. Clark report to me, a few words with you Captain Black, if it is no bother." Barnabas turned to kiss Vicki on her forehead and then turned back to the Captain.

"Of course Mr. Collins it is after all, your ship, would you care to join me in the stern castle? I have a few minor details to attend prior to leaving port."

Willie turned to Vicki noting she seemed distracted and upset, he spoke gently to her, "Um Vicki follow me." Like an automaton Vicki turned and followed Willie over to the enclosed area of the ship and through a door and down some steps to a lower deck to a series of doors. Stopping at a set of double doors, Willie set her case down and opened the door and stepped aside for her to enter.

Vicki's bedroom on board the ship

Victoria stepped through the door and paused. The room was charming, a large bed with heavy netting centered upon one wall, a dressing table with grooming essentials lay attractively in front of a small mirror. Willie picked up Vicki's plaid traveler and set it on the foot of her bed, opening it, Vicki stepped to the case to take her garments out to hang them in what appeared to be a closet.

Another adjourning door opened and an attractive tall red haired woman stepped into the room. "Oh Miss Winters, please allow me to take care of that for you. I am Mrs. Clark and will be helping you until we get to Martinique."

Vicki smiled at her, "The pleasure is mine Mrs. Clark." She had extended her hand to shake, and Vicki noted that Mrs. Clark's hands felt almost like ice.

Willie smiled watching the attractive woman and said, "Oh Mr. Collins is with the captain and wants to see you when you are done here." Mrs. Clark returned her smile to Willie. Willie was quick to note how attractive she was when she smiled. Willie tucked his chin but kept looking her over. He studied her green eyes and that hair! Under the light it almost appeared to catch fire. Which made him wonder if she had a temper to go with that red hair. He let his imagination wonder about that shapely figure hidden beneath her clothing.

Vicki turned and looked around the room her gaze landed on the bed and she saw that Mrs. Clark must have laid out a nightgown for Vicki. The delicate diaphanous gown was draped on the end of the bed. "I thought you might like a hot bath before you retire Miss Winters so I was preparing your bath, if you wish to bathe I can take care of whatever Mr. Collins needs and come back to put up the rest of your things."

Vicki had not realized how drained she was she felt the polite smile she offered Mrs. Clark was just that her being polite. Walking to the end of the bed, she reached for the gown and spoke softly looking at the lovely shade of pale blue on the ribbons of the white gown. Tucking her chin continued to study the gown using the time to compose her emotions. "Please call me Vicki, and that sounds lovely, thank you Mrs. Clark."

"Only if you agree to call me Danielle. I never felt comfortable with such formalities, but I understood Mr. Collins was a stickler on formalities." She kept her own voice light and cordial, she did wonder what Mr. Collins might require of her.

Vicki chuckled, "He is a little old fashion in some respects, however, with it being you and myself, we will dispense with those formalities and make it more of friendship." Vicki glanced up and Danielle could see she was being very sincere.

Vicki lifted the filmy nightgown from the bed and noted the richness of the material and sighed softly, her life was going to be very different from now on. Admiring the feel of the gown and the richness of the material she could not help but notice it must have been one of Josette's. The French tailoring was apparent in the empire waist and the sleeves that were straight for three quarters of the way then gathered to lay in its ruffled delicately down to her wrists.

Danielle waited for her to go the bathroom, watching her hold the gown much as someone would tenderly hold a child. Danielle spoke softly looking to the young woman and the gown. "Its lovely, I took the liberty of placing the matching robe in the bathing chamber." Danielle smiled and Vicki nodded.

"Thank you." Vicki felt awkward and knew she should go on and bathe and be ready should Barnabas require her for something. Catching movement out of her peripheral she watched Willie pick her suitcase up and walk to the built-ins.

Setting her case down by the closet he turned facing Danielle, "Barnabas is with the Captain." Danielle thanked Willie, excused herself. Vicki glanced around the room and then down at her left hand to her ring finger. A large ornate marquises diamond surrounded by tiny black opal chips circled the diamond accenting its cut and beauty. Sighing she picked up the gown and walked to the adjoining door, where she could smell the hot scent of jasmine.

Even her bath salts were jasmine, Vicki noted the room was half the size of her bedroom and saw the robe hanging from a satin covered hanger on the back of the door. Taking the robe down she draped the robe over the matching gown and stepped to the small dressing table.

Sitting on the delicate stool, she let her fingers touch the various bottles and silver brush and comb. Glancing up she peered at the image in front of her. She saw the haunted unsure gaze in that girl's eyes. "Who are you? More importantly, who will you become?" Taking her slender fingers she unbound the scarf around her throat and studied the two puncture wounds on her neck.

Delicate fingertips explored the indentation and scabbing. Sighing softly she stood and began to undress. Dropping her skirt around her ankles, stepping out of the skirt, she unbuttoned her blouse and let it slide off her shoulders to fall on top of the skirt. Unfastening her bra, she dropped it on her blouse and finally she slid her fingers down to her panties and slid those down and stepped out of them.

Standing naked and feeling a little chilled, she looked at the warm steaming bathwater. Walking to the tub she stepped into the deliciously warm scented waters and slid down to rest her neck against the curve of the tub. Closing her eyes she began to reflect on what her life would be from this day forward.

" _Do not be afraid, you will be very happy. Barnabas is a wonderful man who deserves your love. He has been so lonely, and he does love you Mon Cher._ " Vicki recognized the voice and the heavier scent that followed her appearance.

Without realizing it, Vicki spoke, "You know I never cursed him, you know I tried to save you?" Vicki felt the cold touch of her fingertips as she stroked her cheek.

" _I do know, I was foolish to think it was you, who was the witch. Barnabas cannot help himself. I want to ask you to forgive me Victoria, please find it in your heart to forgive me. And I want you to remember there are changes for you both coming soon. You must not be afraid, what is done can be undone._ "

Vicki sat up in the tub to peer around at her supernatural visitor and discovered she had disappeared. "I will not be afraid. I will trust you and I forgive you, you have been there to save me too many times." Using this time, she began her bathing ritual and soon found the bath was exactly what she needed. Donning the off the shoulder nightgown and the matching robe, she sat at the dressing table and unbound her hair, using the brush, she comb out her hair until it shown under the dim lights.

Again, she peered at her image and said softly, "Victoria Collins, Victoria Winters Collins." Resting her chin on her folded fingers and her elbow on the dresser she stared blankly at her reflection. "Shaking her head she sighed softly, "No Mrs. Barnabas Collins, it has to be Mrs. Barnabas Collins." A part of her was mourning the fact she was not loved for being Victoria. That the man she would give her heart to only loved her for a pale image of someone else. Looking down she studied the ring on her finger and for the first time in her short life, Vicki felt sad, alone and afraid.

Lady Victoria Stern castle

Willie escorted Danielle to the Captain and Barnabas, "Um, Barnabas, this is Mrs. Clark." Barnabas turned and his eyes widen. He recognized her immediately. In 1796 she had been Danielle Roget. He did not question how she was here and in this time. All that mattered is that she did not harm his Victoria.

Barnabas recovered from his momentary lapse of good manners. Smiling his most charming smile he extended his hand to her. "Mrs. Clark, charmed." He kissed her hand and then reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small bottle of pills.

He had pilfered them from Julia's doctor's bag. "I would ask you to do me a huge favor and a huge favor for Victoria as well."

Danielle felt charmed by the kiss on her hand. "I will certainly do whatever I can to help and all you need to do is ask the favor and if it is in my power then I will be happy to help if I can." She had even managed a slight blush.

Barnabas smiled, "These are sleeping pills. I would request you put two of these into Victoria's tea. I fear the excitement of the trip and our impending marriage may not allow her to rest properly." He handed the bottle to her.

"Are you sure two tablets are necessary?" She had looked down to the two pills in her hand and then looked up with a questioning look in her gaze.

Barnabas folder her fingers over the bottle and smiled "I am positive two will help her sleep." Leaning in close to her he spoke softly, "I know she would deny the need for these sleep aids. However, I can assure you she will need her rest so she can be fresh for our wedding. This will be our little secret. You see my fiancé' has been through a great deal of trauma and she needs her strength."

Danielle did not question the request or the fact when she saw Vicki she did seem pale and there were the definite signs of dark circles under her eyes. Danielle smiled coyly, nodded to Barnabas and tucked the pills into her pocket. "We will see she has a proper rest before the wedding Mr. Collins, and no one but you and I must know she got a little extra help."

Barnabas smiled, "You may tell her I will see her before she retires for the night." Barnabas had stepped in close to her bent tucked his chin to peer into her eyes and caught her deep penetrating return gaze. She smiled and that was when he recognized she was truly Danielle Roget

.

Barnabas watched Danielle walk from the room and knew she was going towards the interior of the large ship. Turning back to Captain Black he continued his conversation, "Now the two other ships have already departed with us being on their manifests?"

Captain Black nodded, "Aye, The Carolyn left at 6:00 pm, the Elizabeth, left at 10:00 she will be going to the Azores, once she off loads her cargo, she will then head onto England, the Carolyn will be headed to the Suez Canal then onto Fijian Islands. Our manifest indicates we will be going to Cuba, then to San Juan, the Virgin Island and finally to the British West Indies. I have actually plotted our course to Martinique with our arrival to be within one week." Black had been very proud of the fact he had even arranged for the Carolyn to back track and meet up with them near Antiqua where they would off load Vicki and Barnabas onto the ship, and Captain Black would be headed then onto the Fijian Islands. "So that way the Carolyn will be the ship to take you on to Martinique and we will sail to Fiji, then later if you are wishing to return to Collinsport, we can meet up and pick you and Mrs. Collins up and bring you home."

Barnabas seemed very pleased. "Well when you are ready to cast off, I believe we have everything we need on board. The wedding preparations are to my specifications?"

Captain Black smiled and nodded. "Aye, we have it all set, although I recommend we be at sea for at least 2 days before the ceremony. That way it will be totally legal and pursuant to maritime laws."

Barnabas frowned. "Well one day should not mater all that much." Barnabas concluded his business with the Captain and then turned to Willie "Have you taken care of the details of my cabin?"

Willie nodded. "The windows were painted black, hung with black lined curtains and special locks put on the door from the inside. I have the room next to yours. I won' be able to access your room. I did the same for all three ships, they all have special adjustments made to them at your specifications."

They walked in tandem towards the interior of the ship. Stopping outside of Vicki's room, "Very good, you may go Willie. I will see you at sunset."

Barnabas turned to the door and Willie stopped him, "Barnabas, don't hurt her. She ain't hurt no body and nobody should hurt her." Willie's lip trembled when he asked him not to hurt Vicki, and he knew he was treading on thin ice with him and risking a real beating.

Willie's bedroom

Barnabas' scowled, "Willie, you are dismissed, go to your room." His voice was low and threatening as he made his intent felt with a direct stare into Willie's eyes. Trembling, Willie stepped back, dropped his chin directing his gaze to his shoe. Turning he skittered off down the hallway. He reached a door across the hall from Vicki's suite of rooms, put his hand on the door and glanced at Barnabas. Seeing that Barnabas was watching him, Willie opened the door and disappeared inside. Closing and locking his door, he leaned against the door and looked at the dark ceiling of his room.

Willie wanted to cry instead he wrapped his arms around his body and slid to the floor, drawing up his knees, he tucked his forehead to the top of his knees and felt his body shudder at all the pent up frustration and anger. Lifting his gaze up to the ceiling he was terrified at the image that met his gaze. The spectral form of Josette floated overhead. Gasping in fear Willie ducked his head and in a tremulous voice said, "What do you want?"

Josette's' voice floated around the room, " _Do not be afraid for Victoria, Willie. All will be fine. Do not be afraid._ " He watched her fade from view. Leaving only the faintest hint of her perfume behind.

Vicki's bedroom

Barnabas knocked lightly on Victoria's door, "Come in." Her voice sounded tired and he wondered if Danielle had given her the sleeping pills. Barnabas entered and stopped, his gaze drinking in the beauty before him. She sat on the chaise, in her lap was a saucer and she held a teacup in her hand. He shifted his gaze to Danielle, who smiled and nodded to his unspoken question.

"Well, if you two will excuse me, the hour is late and I need to check on the equipment I am taking to my husband."

Victoria looked appreciatively and with a degree of uncertainty towards the retreating back of Danielle and wished her a good evening. Vicki sipped the last of her tea, set the saucer and cup on the delicate table next to her and stood. Her beauty entranced Barnabas. When she stood the gown flowed around her slender form. Barnabas laid his cane down and removed his jacket, draping it over a nearby chair. He too wished Danielle a good evening and turned to secure the door behind her.

Turning back he was speechless looking at the enchantingly beautiful creature in front of him. "My dear may I say how exceptionally enchanting you appear. I hope you like my selection for your sleeping attire."

Vicki picked at the flowing softness nervously and then smiled shyly glancing from the gown to her prospective bridegroom. "It is lovely, was it Josette's?"

He stepped towards her and embraced her, pulling her close he kissed her forehead. "Yes, it was Josette's I also took the liberties of getting you some jasmine perfume and bathing salts."

Vicki laid her head against his chest and closed her eyes, she felt so tired. "Thank you." Her words were soft and muffled as she rested her head on his chest. "You were going to tell me who Peter was."

Vicki felt her throat close and her eyes burned with unshed tears. "He was someone I knew a long, long time ago. He was very kind to me during a time when I felt I had no friends."

Barnabas stiffened speaking softly into her ear, "Well that was as you said a long, long time ago. In two days we shall share a new and very different and exciting life together." He pushed her head back so he could stare into the radiance of her eyes and he smiled.

"Yes, Barnabas, we will share a new and exciting life together." She saw him lower his mouth to hers and she closed her eyes and waited for the kiss. His mouth was firm and demanding. He pressed for a return of the same passion he felt while he plundered her mouth. Involuntarily, Vicki lifted her arms and encircled his neck, letting her fingertips massage his neck and hair. Barnabas broke the kiss and she could see the glowing red embers ignite in his gaze.

"My darling, comfort me." She pulled the scarf from her throat and leaned into his chest tilting her head. She felt his fingers brush her hair away from her neck.

When he lowered his lips to her throat, she braced herself for the brief pain she was going to receive. Barnabas ran his tongue over her slender neck, tasting her and then he gently sank his fangs into her neck. Vicki felt the quick pain and then she knew nothing else. Barnabas took only what he needed to keep his hunger at bay. He felt her body go limp in his arms. Catching her before she fell, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bed. There he lay her head on the satin pillows and covered her with the blanket.

Gazing down he smiled, "Soon my lovely you will be ready for me, you will love me as I love you. You will be mine." Barnabas looked on the sleeping form caught up in his thoughts that his silent musings were interrupted by a familiar voice.

" _Barnabas, you must love her for who she is not as a pale image of what we might have had. You know you have feelings for her."_

Barnabas turned and peered at the vision of Josette before him. "Josette?" He took a step towards her and she floated away from him.

" _No Barnabas. Do not come any further. Just listen to me. When you first came to my room, you said you could not have me because I am truly gone. Then you told me to go away. I did go away. Then I watched you, you tried so hard to become human again. What Angelique has done can be undone, just not as the good Doctor Hoffman tried. You must go to Martinique and you must seek out a Doctor Lang, Doctor Eric Lang. He is both your salvation. Before you do that, you must love this woman, she will be your salvation and she deserves all your love._ "


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Vicki's bedroom

Barnabas looked at his lost love, his eyes drinking in the sight of her. He watched her glide about the room, wearing the wedding dress she had been buried in, her head draped in the heavy veil, "Josette, she is as close to you as I will ever get. She has all the tender qualities that made me fall so completely in love with you. Had it not been for Angelique . . . "

Josette sighed and drift over to Vicki's bedside. " _It does not matter, what was, is gone. Angelique will destroy her; you were wise to get her away from Collinwood. You are foolish to try and make her into me. You must love Barnabas; you must love her, if you wish to make her your wife. A wife deserves the love of her husband._ " Josette took off the ring with which she had been buried. " _On your wedding day, give this to her. She deserves this as a pledge of your love."_

Barnabas took the ring looked at Josette then let his gaze drift to the lovely young woman that slept an unnatural sleep. " _You know Barnabas, you are already falling in love with her. She will be your salvation._ " Josette faded from view. Barnabas stepped to Vicki's side and slowly lowered himself down on her bed. With gentle fingers he stroked her hair back out of her face and away from the angry marks on her neck. Licking his fingertips he gently moved his saliva over her wounds and watched as they healed and disappeared.

His thoughts lead him to know and believe he truly wanted to make her his and that perhaps he would wait and try to find this Eric Lang. Glancing up at the portal, through the slit in the curtain he could see that daybreak was soon approaching. Feeling exhausted he leaned over kissed Vicki lightly on her lips, rose, and turned to collect his cane and coat. Turning off the light to her room, he left and walked to his room.

Collinwood

Breakfast was over and Liz Stoddard was concern. Vicki had not come down to breakfast. Assuming she was still suffering from her ordeal since the night of the séance, she felt perhaps Vicki was resting and she certainly deserved and needed her rest. Strolling into the drawing room, she paused seeing Julia, head bent over some type of diary. "Julia, have you checked on Vicki lately?"

Julia finished her entry, turned to face Elizabeth and smiled. Elizabeth had to admit Julia's new hairstyle accented and softened the sharp line of her face. "No, she was up late. I thought it best to let her sleep. She has been exhausting herself with all this prattle about going back in time."

Liz crossed to the bench in front of the fireplace sat; she primly crossed her ankles. "I suppose you are right. This house has been a mad asylum since that séance."

Her next thought was interrupted by the arrival of Roger, hat in hand, his face alight with excitement, he rushed into the room, "Liz, just the person I needed to see, come there is someone I wish you to meet." Liz stood up and followed Roger to the foyer, where Roger put a protective arm around the shoulders of a woman with dark hair and striking blue eyes. She stood shyly and somewhat embarrassed before Elizabeth. "Come darling lets go into the drawing room." Roger smiled excitedly leading her into the drawing room. "Liz, may I present Cassandra, my wife." The woman was small, with dark hair stylishly short. "Is she not the most beautiful woman you have ever seen?" With a flutter of thick dark lashes Cassandra appropriately blushed and extended a gloved hand.

"Roger please you are embarrassing me. I am pleased to meet you. Mrs. Stoddard."

Elizabeth Stoddard was overwhelmed; she was not sure how she felt with this announcement. She looked at the hand before her and with a feeling of trepidation took Cassandra's hand and squeezed it. "Please call me Elizabeth, and this is Dr. Julia Hoffman." The shocked pleasantries were exchanged and Elizabeth excused herself to get tea. Small conversational topics were discussed in general while the party waited for Liz to return. Liz walked back from the kitchen with reassurances from Mrs. Johnson that she would bring the tea tray and expected introductions to Roger's new wife.

Carolyn Stoddard bound down the grand staircase, holding tightly to a letter. "Mother! Julia!" She shouted causing all occupants of the drawing room to stand and step towards the open doorway looking expectantly into the foyer.

"Carolyn! Control yourself and come here and met your Uncle Roger's new wife, Cassandra."

Carolyn came to an abrupt halt on the bottom step. "Uncle Roger's new wife?" Her voice was filled with shock. She stared at the newest member of her family. "Well love must be in the air for almost everyone."

Elizabeth looked at her daughter with confusion. "What do you mean by that?" Carolyn handed over the letter she was holding. "I found that on Vicki's bed this morning when I went to check on her."

Elizabeth took the letter, and read what Carolyn was now announcing to everyone present. "Just that Vicki eloped with cousin Barnabas last night. She is gone, all her clothing is gone and her suitcase is missing."

Julia rushed forward heading up the stairs, "No use Julia, she and Barnabas have gone. She is not up there." Julia paused halfway up the stairs. To add to the chaos in the front hallway was David as he came bursting through the door.

"Hey everyone, the old house is deserted, Barnabas and Willie are gone. The place is as empty as it once was." Elizabeth lifted her gaze from the letter and she handed it over to Julia who had just joined her side. Julia read,

 _Carolyn and Mrs. Stoddard,_

 _It is with a great deal of happiness that I announce my elopement with Barnabas. I have taken one of the estate cars and will leave it at the docks with the keys locked in the car under the driver side mat. I hope you can forgive my sudden departure and be happy for Barnabas and myself. I cannot say when or if we will return. I just wish to let each of you know how important you were to me and will be and will leave you with my love. I know this must come as a shock, but none more than I was when I realized how completely and hopelessly in love I was with Barnabas. We have gone off to begin a new life with each other. Just know how much you all meant to me and how grateful I am that I had the opportunity to know each and everyone of you._

 _._

 _Lovingly Yours,_

 _Vicki_

Julia's voice had faded off with a hint of grief. Looking up she was at a loss for words. Then she saw the look on Cassandra's face. Was she mistaken or was that a look of utter and absolute rage. For that matter why should she care? She was Roger's wife, was she jealous that Vicki and Barnabas had stole their thunder. Now Julia was conflicted with her own dilemma should she tell the Collins family about Barnabas? Her mind said yes, her heart said no.

David slumped down on the bottom step of the grand staircase. "Vicki is in danger, Cousin Barnabas is going to kill her."

Carolyn rolled her eyes and glanced over at her mother. "Uncle Roger, will you take me to the docks, I am pretty sure she used my car, my keys are missing."

Roger kissed Cassandra's cheek and whispered to her, "Go introduce yourself to David, you are now his stepmother." He put his hat on, and picked up his coat, "Come on kitten, maybe we can find out to where they eloped."

Liz, Julia and Cassandra turned and walked back into the drawing room, "Come David, there is someone you need to meet." Elizabeth called to her nephew.

"Doesn't anyone care that Barnabas is going to kill Vicki?" David was growing really upset over being ignored.

Elizabeth sighed and looked down while speaking with Cassandra, "He has a strange obsession with our Cousin Barnabas, he thinks because he looks like his ancestor," she nodded her head towards the picture hanging in the hallway. "David believes that cousin Barnabas is the original Barnabas Collins and not the original Barnabas' great, great-grandson"

Cassandra smiled a tightly and looked at the forlorn young boy that bore a surprising resemblance to his ancestor Daniel Collins. Oh how ironic those whom had escaped her vengeance were now here under her control. She was going to enjoy this very much, very much in deed.

David finally realized there was someone new and got up to followed his Aunt them to the drawing room. "Hi who are you?" David shifted and walked to stand in front of Cassandra.

Cassandra pulled her gaze away from the picture of Barnabas and forced a smile on her lips. "Why, I am your fathers new . . . " Elizabeth protectively stopped her by stepping in front of Cassandra.

"David, there is something we need to tell you. Your father brought some unexpected and surprising news of his own. Your father has remarried and Cassandra is his new wife, your new stepmother."

David recoiled as if he had been physically struck in the face. "No, she can't be my new stepmother! She is a witch!" With those surprising words said, he turned and dashed from the room, to the consternated concern of his Aunt Elizabeth.

"David! Young man come back here and apologize this minute!" Elizabeth turned to Cassandra, "I am so sorry, the boy has issues and with Vicki gone; he, I fear will be more to handle."

Julia feeling numb and betrayed entered the drawing room and walked over to the fireplace. She stood staring into the fire; her mind was whirling with the news of the elopement. No one other than she knew how true David's words were. "Julia?" Julia's thoughts were interrupted by the sound Elizabeth's voice calling to her. "Julia? Did you not hear me?"

Julia turned recouping her composure. "Sorry, I was lost in thought. What did you say?" Liz Stoddard walked to her side. "I was asking if you could go to the Old House and lock it up. I suppose we must wait for their return to send someone down to air it out and get it ready for their return."

Julia smiled and said, "Of course, I would be happy to take care of that for you.' She turned to Cassandra and said, "If you will excuse me, I will take care of securing the house now."

Julia rushed from the room, her body being forced to react, her heart aching, and a slow burning rage just forming in the pit of her stomach. She fully understood now how Angelique must have felt because she was having those same feelings and emotions.

As the chaos subsided and Cassandra was walking around the drawing room, she made comparisons to the changes that time had brought to the grand room. She had tried to eradicate all the Collins family. The first being the very man that had built this house and now with his stoic stare of what? Disapproval? " _Oh Jeremiah as if you could stop me then or now?"_ She thought watching his portrait now placed so prominently over the fireplace. Frowning deeply she slumped down on the sofa and thrummed her fingertips on the arm of the sofa. She had carefully constructed her plans starting with Roger.

She thought about Roger whom bore a faint resemblance to Joshua and here she was married to him. However, modern changes had placed Elizabeth in charge of the Collins fortune. Elizabeth Collins Stoddard who now bore a striking resemblance to Naomi Collins. This must have warmed the cold dead heart of Barnabas. This caused her to smile tightly. Her face tightened thinking of him off with Victoria Winters, she looked up to see a small picture of Carolyn.

Then Carolyn, in this time was smart and savvy and looked like Millicent, the physical appearance is where the duality ended. Apparently, Joshua had reared them as his own, which meant that she and her brat brother Daniel continued the Collins bloodline. And now Barnabas had eloped with the milk toast girl, Victoria Winters. Angelique was doing a slow burn and was vowing to continue with her plot and destroy his family and his precious Victoria. Oh he would pay, as soon as she could get her luggage up to her and Roger's rooms, she would locate him and finish this once and for all.

On board the Lady Victoria

The sunrise on the ocean had been a warning, while Barnabas sought his sleep, and Vicki lay in her drugged slumber, Danielle Roget was awake and attending to the rather large and wide crate that surrounded a large tank of viscous fluid. The naked form of what appeared to be a man floated oblivious to its surrounding. She had to make a deal with Dr. Lang to agree to allow her to let Jeff and her go after his experiment was complete.

Danielle's past memories

Danielle Roget Clark had not traveled all this way through time with the help of Nicolas Blair to find her one true love Peter Bradford just to be indentured to some silly doctor. She would not forget the fact that she had to be hanged for the multiple murders she had committed in 1796 to accomplish this monumental feat. Now she was happy with the fact that she had volunteered to be the life force for the body she now occupied, which did bear a striking resemblance to her old body. Nicolas expected her to be his obedient servant; she was not so incline to give into Nicolas' demands. Danielle Roget was determined to be with her reincarnated lover Peter Bradford as his wife.

Using Lang and convincing him that they should take the experiment to another level and provide a male counter part to herself, Nicolas was soon distracted by a request from his master Diablos. Using this absence as the perfect opportunity to escape and marry Jeff Clark, the reincarnated Peter Bradford, Danielle convinced Eric that the authorities were onto him in Collinsport and perhaps they should take the experiment to his clinic in Martinique.

Seeking out a local Professor of the Occult studies, one Timothy Stokes, Danielle obtained a cloaking spell and a warding spell. Having already covered the ship from one corner to the next, she was assured no outside interference from Nicolas. Little did she realize that she had just successfully thwarted Angelique from interfering with Barnabas and Vicki's wedding?

Securing the crate, Danielle locked the room the body was stored in and walked to the ships deck where she observed the captain looking at the sunrise. "Isn't it lovely?" She enthused as she came to step next to him and then observed a look of concern.

"Depends." He responded and then turned to smile at the attractive red headed woman.

Danielle cocked her head and looked at him quizzically still holding her smile. "What do you mean? Look at the colors they are so vibrant and blazing with the fire of the sun."

Mark Black glanced at the red sky and sighed. "You have not heard the old seaman's saying?" He noted her look of confusion and he continued. " I believe it goes 'Red sky in the morning sailor take warning?'"

Danielle sighed and shook her head. "Not much of a seaman. Is that a bad sign or warning for something?"

Mark Black turned back to study the sky, "Afraid it means bad weather ahead. I will need to check the alerts and warnings on the ship to shore. If we are headed into rough waters such as a hurricane for this time of the year, then I will need to steer us a course around it and recalculate how long it will take us to get to Martinique."

Danielle was now concerned, she could not loose this shipment or she and Jeff would be stuck on a small island robbing small graves. No that would never do, they needed to complete this experiment and move on with their lives. She wanted children with Jeff and the life she had been denied back in 1796. "Will it put us off course and time by . . . "

Mark smiled, "It may delay us by a day but no more, it just depends on if its squall lines pushing through, or something bigger taking up more of the ocean. Don't worry Mrs. Clark, I will get you to your husband in time and we will have calm seas for the Collins wedding."

Feeling a little relieved, Danielle continued to Vicki's room to check on her drugged charge. Walking quietly around the room, she collected the tea tray. Setting it outside the room, she then went into the bathing chamber and noted her charge was very neat and self-sufficient.

Straightening the dressing table slightly putting her brush back in place, and pushing the bath salts even with the other various jars of make up remover, soaps, cotton balls, cue tips and powder. Danielle made quick work of taking Vicki's make up bag and neatly arranging, her lipstick, foundation, facial powder, and bobby pins neatly in order. Finally, she pulled her colorful hair ribbons and scarfs from her small carry on bag, and walked back into her bedroom. Going to her closet, she arranged the scarfs and ribbons on a hanging scarf organizer attached to the door.

As Danielle was about to pull away, she noticed a stain on one of Vicki's scarfs and pulled it down intending to launder the scarf when she was suddenly struck with fear. The scarf was stained with a dark red stain that left no doubt it was blood. Walking to the bedside of her charge she glanced down at her throat. If she recalled, when Vicki arrived last night she was wearing this cloth around her throat and kept unconsciously fingering the scarf as if it bothered her.

Danielle's gaze traveled over her throat and noticed nothing such as a scratch that would cause her scarf to be stained with blood. Sighing and rising from the bedside, Danielle walked to the door. With the amount of sleeping medicines that Barnabas Collins had her put in Vicki's tea, Vicki would sleep well past noon. Taking the scarf, she opened the door to be caught up short by a suspicious looking Willie Loomis. "What are you doing?" The foul mannered man did not put Danielle off one bit. If anything he was a prime example of just one of many men she had dispatched with unremorseful ruthlessness in 1796.

Assuming an overly bright smile, Danielle stooped to pick up the tea tray and walked towards him. "I just straightened Vicki's bathroom and hung up some of her clothing. Does Mr. Collins need anything this morning?"

Willie shifted uneasily under her bright stare. She was a beautiful woman it was a shame she was married, he bet she would be hell on wheels in bed. "No, he is working on his ledgers. Besides, I will take care of anything he may need."

Danielle chuckled passing Willie and a bit of devilment overtook her as she bumped her hip against his when she passed him. "Well I will be in the galley preparing breakfast if you want some or need to take some to Mr. Collins later."

Willie flushed and then ducked his head. "Oh Mr. Collins said that when Vicki wakes up she should have a steak for her meal, cooked medium. I put the steaks in the freezer so you might want to take one out."

Danielle called gaily back to him. "Ok, breakfast in 30 minutes." She disappeared down the hallway and through a door that went down another level to the galley. Maybe he was not such an odd duck after all, feeling quiet happy, Danielle began to hum a light ditty she had heard in the Blue Whale the other night. Danielle quickly cleaned the dishes from the past night and turned to being breakfast starting with the bacon, then the eggs, gravy and finally she was preparing the biscuits.

Soon the ship was filled with the delicious smell of breakfast and the small crew began to saunter into the galley with plates and coffee cups in hand and exchanging jovial banter with Danielle and each other. Willie slipped in unobtrusively and filled his plate and coffee cup and silently slipped out unnoticed.

Passing the Captain on his way to his room he nodded to the Captain. "We got bad weather ahead Captain?" The Captain looked Willie over and nodded. "I am changing our current course to navigate around tropical depression. I figure we can come to the leeward side of the island. The change will delay us by 12 hours, which should not interfere with Mr. Collins plans or Mrs. Clarks."

Willie continued down the hall, "I figured as much when I saw the sunrise. Red sky in the morning . . . "

Mark Black finished the saying, " . . . Sailor take warning. Sailed before have you Mr. Loomis?"

Willie nodded and opened the door "I was with the Merchant Marines for a while."

Black smiled at him. "Good to know, we may need a knowledgeable and experienced extra hand. Enjoy your breakfast and give my regards to Mr. Collins."

As the depression edged the ships course, the water had become choppy and the large ship's stabilizers helped with the large swells. Vicki felt herself being gently rocked and opened her eyes. They felt heavy and her body felt lethargic and drugged. Pushing herself up, she rubbed her eyes and looked around the room. Someone had turned on her lights and hung up her clothing. Uncovering her legs, she shifted, planted her feet on the floor and slid on her house shoes. Standing on wobbly legs; she waited to get her balance. Lifting the lacy bed jacket from the foot of her bed. Vicki slipped it on over her gown. Running her fingers through her thick dark hair she walked to her dressing table and lifted Josette's silver back brush and began to brush her hair.

Dark circles had formed under her eyes from the lack of sleep. She surmised that she must have tossed and turned in bed all night long. Glancing at the bedside clock and noted it was 5:30. Concern filled her, how could it be 5:30? Was that in the morning or no it did not seem to be morning it was more like late evening. Walking to the portal she noted the sun was setting and was shocked she had slept so soundly. By her appearance she did not look like she had slept at all.

From her bathing chambers she heard movement and Danielle opened the door. "Oh good you are up. I have prepared you a nice hot bath, and will go get your supper. Mr. Collins told Willie that when you are done with dinner, join him on the back deck for desert and champagne."

Vicki looked confused. "Are we not going to be married tonight?"

Danielle smiled turning to the closet pulling out the gown Vicki had worn to Barnabas party so long ago. "The Captain had to make some adjustments to our course to avoid a storm and felt it might be better to wait until tomorrow for you and Mr. Collins to wed." For some odd reason, Danielle noticed Vicki seemed to visibly relax with this news. Danielle figured it was due to pre wedding jitters. Danielle hung up the gown on the back of the bathroom door. Then walking to Vicki's bed, she quickly began to make up the bed.

Finishing with the bed, Danielle turned to Vicki's chest of drawers collecting her under garments, she carried them to the bathroom. Finally, Danielle found the soft satin shoes, placing them by the bed. "After your done with your dinner, I will dress your hair." Vicki was amazed at how efficient Danielle appeared to be and was reminded of the Collins servants in 1796. Danielle left Vicki's room and returned with a cart covered with silver chafing dishes.

Removing the coverings Vicki was greeted with a sumptuous meal of Prime Rib, a loaded baked potato, salad, and home baked rolls. "My goodness, I am not so sure I can eat all of this." She picked up her knife and fork.

Danielle chuckled. "Well from the looks of you, you could use it. So, try to eat as much as possible."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The Lady Victoria Ship

Vicki's bedroom

Victoria finished her meal, and awaited Danielle's return to dress her for Barnabas. She would have dressed herself but Barnabas was paying Danielle to be her personal maid. Vicki walked to the closet door and lifted the soft satin gown from the closet hook. Turning she walked to the bed. There she gently with reverence laid the gown out and looked at it. She clearly remembered the dress as one Josette wore in 1796. She had watched Angelique unpack it and hang it in the closet of Josette's room. It was the same dress she had worn to Barnabas' party in the old house. Which was the same night that Barnabas had given her Josette's music box.

Walking to the vanity, she found the music box and opened the lid. The delicate tinkling sounds filled the room with its enchantingly sweet tune. Vicki glanced at her image in the mirror and sighed. There was something wrong and she could not put her finger on what it could possibly be. There was a sense of foreboding with all this living n the past. She did want to make Barnabas happy, and she knew this was the crux of the problem. He wanted to continue to live in the past while she wanted to prepare for their future.

Vicki knew it had to do with everything that had happen to her beginning the night of the séance' to now. Did she truly fall in love with a man named Peter Bradford? Peering into the mirror she knew the face staring back at her was hers. That much was sure, however, there were moments in her dream that she wanted to be held in comfort and cared for by Barnabas because he wished it too. She wanted to be loved for being Victoria Winters.

Peter was someone she clung to during a stressful and extremely terrifying of her life. A time when she faced her own mortality; perhaps that is what influenced her feelings. She wondered if it was possible she had confused her feelings of gratitude for love? She no longer held those emotions or feelings for the man known to her as Peter Bradford, the only man that she saw in her future was Barnabas Collins.

Then there were the other members of the family, her family. Mrs. Stoddard, David, Carolyn, Roger all seemed to hold her heart in a way a real family would. She had not realized how much she was going to miss them until she was out in the middle of the ocean and thinking of them and what they would be doing at this time in a home she had come to feel was hers.

Danielle opened the door hearing the sweet tinkling music interrupting Victoria's reverie. "Oh how lovely, was it a gift from Mr. Collins?"

Vicki studied the striking red headed woman in her mirror and smiled then nodded. "He gave it to me a long time ago. " Vicki's long slender fingers stroked the lid to the music box. The music ended and she turned to hand the box to Danielle. "It is very old and had been in the family for generations. It originally was a gift from the original Barnabas Collins to his betrothed, Josette Dupree."

Danielle looked at the box and smiled and then gently replaced it on the dresser. "It is very lovely. You are lucky to have such a treasure and such a handsome bridegroom. Are you ready to get dressed and meet Mr. Collins?"

Victoria smiled watching Danielle pull her hair up and begin to pin it in place, twisting her hair into the elaborate curls befitting the dress she was about to wear. Vicki sat still while she dressed her hair. Vicki took the time to reflect on how adept Danielle with at all the tasks that Barnabas had required of her.

Topside Deck

Danielle had Vicki dressed and heading to the ships deck. She approached the bow of the ship she noticed that a table was draped with white linen table cloth and Chinese lanterns had been struck across the decking giving the area a romantic feel. Soft music was being played on a record player set up in the alcove.

Vicki approached Barnabas who stood facing the ocean watching the moon's reflection over the water. Just as she was now dressed as Josette; he was wearing the same costume he had worn the night of his party. "Barnabas?" She has said his name almost as a whisper. He turned to admire her beauty. Vicki smiled shyly seeing the admiration in his gaze.

He appeared to be in the full role of the courtly gentleman from days gone by as he gave her a courtly bow and then took her hand, kissed her knuckles. His eyes locked to hers he with care and tenderness turned her hand to place a light kiss on her wrist, and then trailed tiny delicate kisses to her palm. With gentleness he tucked her hand into the bend of his arm. "My dear may I tell you how beautiful you look and how much it pleases me for you to indulge me in my whim?"

Vicki blushed shyly seeing the look of happiness that had taken over the sadness that was usually in his gaze. Seeing this change in him she smiled, which caused her eyes to light up. It was with a great sense of pride he guided her to a secure place near the rail so they could look at the moon over the ocean. She looked upon the moon's reflection on the water and felt a calmness flow over her. This night was the most perfect night and one she had dreamed of since she was a young girl wondering what her husband would look like and how they would find each other and finally when they would be married what would be her moment of truth. She softly exclaimed, "Oh Barnabas it is beautiful out here. The sky seems so clear and the air is so brisk and fresh. I could live for a 1000 nights like this."

Barnabas turned to face her and stare into her eyes. "My darling, just ask and I will do whatever is in my power to grant you that wish." He leaned forward to place a light kiss on her lips, and then turned to escort her back to the table. Seating her he took the chair next to her and waited for Willie and Danielle. Willie and Danielle had stood back watching the two and knew when Barnabas was seated next to Vicki they were to come out with the cart. Willie wheeled out a silver cart and Danielle, set plates of deserts in front of them along with a tray of cut cheese and a chilled bottle of wine. Having completed their duties they had been instructed to withdraw quietly. So, Willie stepped back waited for Danielle to join him. Both bowed to Vicki and Barnabas. Barnabas nodded to them, "Thank you both you are excused for the rest of this evening. I wish you a good evening."

Vicki feeling a little nervous picked up the desert fork and took a small bite of the strawberries and whip cream. Swallowing, she turned to Barnabas and smiled. "You are a wonderful man Barnabas, I am lucky to have you in my life." Barnabas was more than touched by Victoria's beauty; he was endeared by her sweetness and her words were more than acceptance to his needs and desires, she was actually with him of her own free will.

She was such an innocent. "My dear Victoria, I once told you the name Victoria was so beautiful that I could not part with one syllable. I am the fortunate one to have you as my betrothed. To share your love and someday grow old with you." He caught himself with those words still hanging between them. Feeling guilty, he dropped his gaze to stare at the untouched desert. He could eat it and then later, regurgitate it so it would not sour on his stomach. He played the fork over the desert, his mind lost on wishing to grow old with Victoria and having children. Alas, that dream had perished when Doctor Hoffman had aged him to 175 years old.

He had many times while trying to become human again held to the dreams Dr. Hoffman had painted for him. Those dreams had always been the same each time he had carefully played them out in his mind. He would be mortal, have children, grandchildren and finally grow old with Victoria. He had not thought Doctor Hoffman would find her own feelings tied up with him. She had thought to thwart his plans for Victoria from the beginning because she coveted him for herself. She was no better than Angelique with the cruel tricks she had played on him and Victoria had only provoked him to take the action that had sent them on this voyage away from his home and family.

.

Then the words his sweet Josette had spoken to him niggled at the back of his mind. " _You must love her Barnabas, she is your salvation to becoming mortal. Seek out a Doctor Lang."_

Reaching forward, Barnabas took Vicki's hand; instinctively she curled her fingers over his. He drew her fingers to his lips placing light sweet kissed on her fingertips. "I want to confess to you now Victoria," he looked deeply into her gaze and then slowly he spoke what was in his heart.

"You know how fond I have always been of you, until this night, this moment I had not realized how much that fondness has grown into something more." Pressing his lips against her fingers he released her fingers and tipped her chin so he could hold her gaze and she could see into his very soul. "Vicki, you have become so much more to me than even I realized. I had hoped to build a relationship on a past great love and found that the past is not what is important but the here and now. I want you to know how much I have grown to love you for you and all your tender sweet qualities."

Vicki's heart swelled with those words; shyly she dropped her chin and looked at their hands entwined together. She had heard him say he loved her. That is all she ever wanted was to be loved. All her worries, fears and uncertainty now disappeared and it was then she realized that she had nothing to fear, nothing to loose, only to gain.

She fully realized that here was the man she really loved, and needed in her life. "Barnabas, I have a confession to make to you. I thought I was in love with Peter, but in the past day, I have come to realize you are the most important person in my life and that what I felt for Peter was nothing more than gratitude. I realized that you are the man I love. I am going to be very proud to be Mrs. Barnabas Collins." Her words were said with complete and open sincerity.

Feeling the moment so intensely, Barnabas gathered her to him and kissed her deeply. The kiss only broken by the sound of a polite cough, Mark Black standing to the rear of their table. "Mr. Collins excuse me, a moment of your time please, it is rather urgent." Vicki blushed and looked down embarrassed that she and Barnabas had bee observed in a deeply personal intimate moment. Barnabas looked from the Captain to Vicki with a look of apology and a halfhearted hint if she would mind his leaving her for a few moments. "Go on, my love, I will be here when you return." She encouraged him to go.

Barnabas smiled and kissed her forehead and then fingers "I shall not tarry and will return to you poste haste my darling."

Barnabas followed the captain to the aft part of the deck and saw Captain Black's anxious look. "Now Captain you have my undivided attention. What seems to be the problem?"

The Captain sighed and then motioned Barnabas to follow him to the stern castle of the ship. He walked to a large round metal instrument. "This Mr. Collins is radar/sonar. If you notice this large green area here." He pointed to the large green mass.

Barnabas leaned over and noted a green mass covering half the screen. "Yes, what is it?" He had a sick feeling in his stomach.

"A tropical storm that is headed straight for us. I have been steering our course around the storm. However, I changed course and we may possibly skirt the outer edges of the storm, which will cause some rough seas and swells. It could get rough for you and Miss Winters and will delay the wedding for at least 2 days."

Barnabas furrowed his brow and studied the large mass, as it seemed to pulsate and grow larger. "When do you expect to engage this storm?"

Mark Black sighed and studied the charts near the radar, sonar and then looked at Barnabas. "I would say we have at least six hours before we start feeling the effects of the storm."

From the door, Vicki stood a vision outlined against the darkening sky. "Then you should marry us tonight, right now Captain. I wish to spend my night with my husband if we are going to face peril." She had followed them to the stern castle and had heard the Captain tell Barnabas what was happening.

Barnabas stepped to Vicki's side and gathered her into his arms. "Are you sure my love?"

Vicki pressed into his body and placed a gentle sweet kiss on the edge of his mouth and smiled. "I have never been more sure of anything than I am of this marriage to you my love, so yes."

Barnabas turned to the Captain, "Well Captain you heard the lady, we have a wedding to prepare."

Vicki laughed and kissed Barnabas one more time. "I will find Danielle and you find Willie as our witnesses and I will change and meet you back at the dining table on the rear deck in 1 hour."

She was glowing at the thought of marrying Barnabas. Mark watched the beautiful woman dedicate one of the most important days of her life to a man and a part of him envied Barnabas another part of him felt his heart skip a beat, she was so lovely Collins was a lucky man to have found her. He looked from her to Barnabas and nodded. "In one hour I will invoke maritime law and meet you with your witnesses on the rear deck and we shall perform this marriage."

Collinwood Roger and Cassandra's bedroom

Cassandra waited patiently as Harry Johnson slowly walked with her luggage to her room and the bungling oaf dropped her trunk. The same trunk that carried her scrying mirror. Feeling her rage barely controlled, she turned on Harry, "You idiot, if you have broken anything in that trunk, I will flay the skin from your body and watch as you writhe on the floor at my feet. Now get out!" Harry laughed at her and started to turn from her.

"You are a stupid bitch."

Turning his back only enraged Cassandra more and she began to chant,, "From the darkest depths of hell, I command you stop!"

Harry suddenly began to feel his whole body freeze. He could not move, he was suddenly beginning to feel fear. Cassandra opened her trunk and rummaged through the trunk finding a straw doll, she smiled and began to circle Harry, she plucked the scarf from his neck and wrapped around the dolls neck. "By the powers of Diablos I deem this effigy to now be you Harry Johnson, bound to me to do whatever I bid. You will do as you are commanded and your will becomes mine. As my slave you will do as I say."

She tightened the scarf around the dolls neck and Harry began to choke. Fear gripped him with his air being cut off. He would have choked but the ability was taken from him. He fell to his knees he was close to blacking out when the pressure against his throat was released and the air rushed back in his body.

Choking on his terror filled voice wavered as he spoke. "What are you?"

Cassandra laughed and the sound struck fear in his heart. "Your worse nightmare. Now get up." She jerked the doll up and Harry felt the control of his body taken from him again. "Now go, and say nothing of this or the next time, I will not be so generous and let you breathe. You will come when I summon you and do as I tell you."

Harry stumbled as he ran from the room and slammed the door behind him. Cassandra laughed again feeling quiet pleased with herself, then remembering her trunk she stepped over to open the container and again searched for her mirror, finding it, she turned to the wall. Removing an art deco picture, she hung her mirror and commanded; "Show me Barnabas Collins from last night to now." The mirror began to shift and like a video replay, she saw Barnabas and Vicki at the mausoleum. How Barnabas had tricked Vicki into eloping with him, she watched feeling a slow burn, arms crossed and watching Barnabas help Vicki to the car and their drive to the docks. She watched them board the ship. "Show me the name of the ship." The mirror could not show the name of the ship.

Then the vision of the ship wavered and disappeared. Cassandra's voice had become more agitated and she demanded in a more frustrated and forceful tone, "What is this? Mirror show me Barnabas Collins and Vicki Winters now." Again, the mirror remained blank. Anger bordering on rage consumed her and her voice quavered she demanded, "What sorcery is this? Mirror I said show me Barnabas Collins and Victoria Winters!"

From behind the mockingly sarcastic voice of a dapperly dressed man sporting a small handle bar mustache appeared. "My dear Angelique, do you not recognize the evidence of a warding spell. Someone has cleverly placed a warding spell to evil around him or her. It is one of the most powerful spells I have ever encountered for good."

Cassandra turned and gasped "Nicholas what are you doing here?" Her rage faded and was immediately replaced by a hint of fear and suspicion. Nicholas removed his bowler hat and laid it on the settee near the window and then carefully removed his gloves with slow deliberate ease. "Why my dear, I have come because our master wanted me to make sure you did not mess up again. Apparently, I have chosen wisely to make my appearance now. It would seem that once again, you have let the estimable Barnabas Collins slip through your fingers."

Cassandra was infuriated by his accusation. "You under estimate me once again Nicholas, just because I can't see him, I will know the ship they left on and soon I will have their destination." Turning in a huff, Cassandra demanded, "Mirror show me the dock master's office. Show me the manifests for all ships owned by the Collins family and which Captain filed which manifests with the list of all passengers.

Nicholas smoothed his fingertips over his mustache and smiled. "Excellent idea my dear."

The mirror shifted and showed seven manifests. Cassandra waved her hand and the mirror displayed the information and she smiled. "The ship I am sure he is on is headed to England. The other is headed to the Fijian Islands. This one says a Danielle Clark is headed to Martinique with goods to be delivered to an Eric Lang." She frowned as she studied the ships passenger list. "They are not listed on any of the ships and I know better."

Nicholas frowned stepping forward he studied the manifest. Waving his hand to remove the current image, he demanded, "Mirror, show all ships manifests listed to Collins family from yesterday including names of ships and passengers listed."

Once again without hesitation the mirror responded by showing a series of Captains coming in and filing their manifests, the Captain of the Lady Elizabeth showed Victoria Winters as a passenger, the Lady Carolyn showed Barnabas as a passenger, then later in the list for both ships, showed Vicki and Barnabas listed on the ships.

"Well my dear it is quiet simple to find out which ship they are on." Cassandra was feeling frustrated and turned on Nicholas.

How? They are listed on 2 ships."

Once again Nicholas waved his hand and the mirror cleared. "What time did you say you last saw Barnabas and the lovely Miss Winters board their ship."

Cassandra furrowed her brow and then smiled. "Yes, it was around 2 a.m. The time was on the ship's manifest for departure for the Lady Victoria, the Lady Carolyn and the Lady Elizabeth"

Nicholas turned to the mirror, "Mirror show me the departure of the Lady Carolyn. There was no way of determining the time of each ship as they sailed out. Feeling frustrated he asked. "The Lady Victoria." The mirror shifted to just a reflection of the room. Cassandra huffed with frustration. "Well now what?"

Nicholas sighed with infinite patience, which annoyed Cassandra. "Well my dear, you should be grateful I came here." He shook his head and then smiled with exaggerated patience, "Simple deduction will tell you they surely must be on the Lady Victoria, that is the only ship warded. You saw them board the ship and the minute they stepped on the ship they disappeared from your sight is that not so?"

Cassandra crossed her arms and glared at Nicholas from under her eyelashes. " Again, now what?"

Nicholas tapped a finger against his lips in deep thought and he paced to the settee and crossed his well-panted left leg over his right knee. "Well we could drive them back to port." His eyes virtually lit up with glee at the deviousness of his plan.

Cassandra kept her defensive pose with arms crossed and watching Nicholas with a begrudging admiration. "A storm?"

Nicholas uncrossed his leg and stood up. "Not just any storm, a major hurricane. That will cover enough of the ocean to keep any of the three ships from making their destination."

Nicholas clapped his hands together and then he began to cast his spell. "Powers of darkness, seas of calm shall churn, and roil bring forth a tropical depression from the coast of Africa to drift and build to a hurricane and send those torrential rains and winds to cover the ocean to the British South Indies to Cuba. Rain down with your wrath and drive the ships to port." Nicholas nearly danced around Cassandra, "Now we wait. Come, I need you to introduce me to your new family." Nicholas picked up his hat and gloves; donning his hat he made a show of pulling on the grey kid gloves.

Drawing Room Collinwood

Roger walked through the front door and removed his hat and coat laying them on the nesting table in the center of the hallway. "Liz! Cassandra!" He called and Liz appeared in the doorway of the drawing room. "Roger a word if you please

He smiled and walked towards her. "Where is Cassandra?"

From the top of the stairs Cassandra appeared. "I am here darling." She walked down the stairs taking up her position at his to side. Hearing a knock Roger turned and answered the door.

Cassandra using her practice smile stepped to Liz entering the drawing room. Opening the door, Roger came face to face with Nicholas Blair. "Yes?"

Nicholas put on his most charming smile and spoke cordially. "Is Cassandra here?"

Roger turned to see where his wife was and not seeing her immediately he spoke with a degree of snobbish superiority, "And may I ask who is calling?"

Nicholas laughed apologetically, "Oh forgive me, I am her brother Nicholas Blair. I was told she was here at Collinwood."

From behind Roger, he heard Cassandra, "Nicholas! Dear brother what brings you here?"

Roger immediately changed his attitude and invited Nicholas in, "Please forgive me, and do come in."

Cassandra walked to Nicholas' side and gave him a sisterly hug. "You cannot image how surprised I was to hear you were married. I had to come and meet the fortunate man that was lucky enough to get you as his bride."

Roger laughed and invited Nicholas into the drawing room for drinks. "Please join us in a toast to my beautiful bride and the discovery of her family."

Nicholas removed his hat and gloves and laid them on the table. "I would be delighted to toast my dear sister's marriage to a man of obvious charm and grace such as yourself Mr. Collins."

Roger was immediately taken with Nicholas and moved to the sideboard to pour a round of drinks. Elizabeth adjourned to the sofa and sat quietly observing everyone in the room. Her wise eyes were becoming more and more suspicious watching the play between the people in the room. Her suspicion was mixed with frustration she had wanted to talk to Roger alone and now she was where she had been with Jason Maguire. When the room began to settle down with the festivities, Elizabeth heard the front door open and close, she heard the voices of Julia and Carolyn.

Carolyn held a yellow envelope in her hand and was talking excitedly to Julia, "Yes, the car was parked exactly where Vicki said it would be and this was lying on the front seat, it's address to mother."

Hearing this Elizabeth stood and moved to her daughter. "You have something for me Carolyn?"

Carolyn took in the room she noticed the handsome new comer and smiled warmly. "Hello? I am Carolyn Stoddard and you are?" She handed the envelope to her mother and advanced on Nicholas.

"Well Mr. Collins this house amazes me, you are one lucky man to be surrounded by so many beautiful women

Roger put his arm around Carolyn, "Kitten, this is Cassandra's brother Nicholas Blair, Nicholas my lovely niece Carolyn Stoddard."

Nicholas polished his smile and took Carolyn's hand in his. "It is an honor to meet you my dear. You obviously took your looks after your beautiful mother, Mrs. Stoddard."

Nicholas turned to note Liz had left the room. "Oh Mother took the letter I gave her. She must be in the study." With extreme politeness, Nicholas kissed Carolyn's hand and released her.

"I will have to give her my regards later, I need to go to town and see about accommodations."

Roger clapped him on the back. "I will not hear of it. You must stay here as our guest for the duration of your stay in Collinsport."

Cassandra shifted to Roger's side and slid her arm around his arm. "Why darling, how gracious of you. Yes, darling brother do accept the generous hospitality of my wonderful husband."

Julia watched the play between brother and sister and her trained eye noted how forced and surfaced polished the play was between this brother and sister act. Folding her arms over her chest she nonchalantly walked to the fireside chair and sat. If she had not been so jealous of what was going on with Barnabas and Vicki she would have noted that the newest member of the family was wound tight and barely able to control her own anger at the very same pair.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Collinwood study

Elizabeth using the distraction of Julia and Carolyn's arrival had taken the letter, and quietly left the drawing room to go to her study. Sitting by the cheerful fire, she carefully opened the letter and withdrew the contents, folding open the page she noted it was from Barnabas she read as follows:

My Dearest Elizabeth,

I hope that you will forgive us for leaving you as we have. Victoria and I have found our love for each other and comfort in each other's arms. Please know I shall treasure Victoria for as long as we both live. I ask for your blessing and cannot promise we will be back in Collinsport soon. I plan to take Victoria on a world honeymoon cruise, we shall keep in touch and only ask you secure the old house for our return. Just know that I speak from my heart and ask you to remember the first day we met, when you asked me if I had come to America to find a wife. I told you then I did not rule out the possibility and how was I to know the very woman that I knew would take my heart would be your sweet Victoria. Had time permitted, I would have asked you and Roger for permission and her hand in marriage.

Again, forgive the crude and unintentional departure on this elopement. Sending you and the rest of the family or sincerest regards and best wishes. I just hope it will be reciprocated in kind upon our return.

Respectfully your cousin,

Barnabas Collins

Elizabeth folded the letter shut and gently laid it on the side table. Rising she walked to the liquor cabinet and poured herself a generous glass of sherry and returned to her fireside chair, staring into the fireplace, she lifted the glass and proposed a toast. "To you dearest daughter and cousin, may you find the happiness you both deserve." Tipping the glass back she drank deeply of the sweet liquor.

Letting her mind drift she glanced into the fire and was transported back to when she was 18 and had discovered she was pregnant. Her father had been livid and had shipped her off to an unwed mother's home. He had dispatched who he thought was the baby's father from his service paying him to leave town and never return or try to see his daughter again.

When Victoria was born, she had been allowed to hold her for all of 15 minutes. She had counted the minutes and seconds. Taking her fingertips to twirl the dark hair around her fingers into tiny ringlets. Watching her lie so quietly in her arms and peer up at her mother and smile. Then in too short of time; the nurse took her away. It had taken Elizabeth years to locate her daughter and she hired Garner and Garner to send the support payment to the foundling home for her until Liz's father Jamison had died.

The elder Garner had given her updates and pictures periodically and when the opportunity arose to hire her under the pretext of being David's governess she made her move. Now she had found love and was with a Collins cousin, a match she highly recommended and thought or even hoped for Victoria. Elizabeth allowed herself a small smile and closed her eyes; she just wished that Carolyn could be as fortunate to have as good a match.

"Mother?" Carolyn had poked her head into the doorway and called gently to her mother interrupting her nostalgic dance down memory lane.

"Yes darling I am here."

Carolyn stepped to her mother's side and dropped down to the floor at her feet. Laying her head in her mother's lap, she felt her mother's gentling fingers stroke her hair. "Who was the letter from? Was it Barnabas?"

Elizabeth smiled and nodded, "Yes, dear, he was asking for my blessing and forgiveness." She reached for the letter and handed it to Carolyn.

Carolyn took it to read it by firelight. "Oh how wonderful for them! Finally, Vicki will get over that imaginary lover Peter Bradford. That was very unhealthy for her." She continued to read and frowned "Not coming back soon. Oh they will be missed." Carolyn folded the letter shut and handed it back to her mother.

"Oh before I forget, Uncle Roger has invited Nicholas to stay here for the duration of his visit, I asked Mrs. Johnson to prepare a room for him, I hope it was all right to do so." Elizabeth frowned but said nothing. "Mother?" Carolyn waited for her mother to acknowledge her.

"Yes?" Carolyn lifted her head and waited for her mother to answer her, gently she laid her head back in her mother's lap. "It is all right isn't it?"

Elizabeth smiled and nodded, "Of course, you did the right thing dear."

Carolyn giggled, "Good I like him, he is very charming and flattering."

Liz smiled indulgently and then sighed deeply, "Darling, I need to tell you something. It has not been easy for me having held a secret from you and your Uncle Roger, these past few years." Carolyn's brow furrowed and she looked up at the concerned features of her mother.

"Mother?" Carolyn's voice held a tremor the last secret she had held was she had locked herself away in their home for 18 years because she thought she had killed Carolyn's father, Liz's husband Paul Stoddard. Carolyn gave her mother her full attention..

"When I was very much close to your age, I met one of the locals, a handsome young man, he was related to a man named Hanscombe. Your grandfather offered him a job here because he was related to our butler, Ben Hanscombe. Ellery had a sister named Betty Hanscombe she and I became close. The thing is, I liked Ellery, and I liked Ben. Betty was so sweet and a good friend too. But that is all they were. We were friends"

Elizabeth stood and walked to the sherry decanter and poured herself another drink and walked back to sit back down. She could not look at Carolyn, so she cupped the glass in her hand and spoke softly while peering into the glass of liquor. "Father thought Ellery and I had an affaire. I did have an affair and I got pregnant but ot with Ellery. Your grandfather found out and well was not very happy with me. He sent me away to await the birth of George's baby and mine. You see Ellery helped me meet with the boy I had fallen hopelessly in love with and well he covered for his cousin."

Carolyn felt her mother's pain and she put a hand on her mother's knee her eyes shining with excitement. "I have a sister?"

Elizabeth nodded, "Not just a half sister, but a sister that loves you and this family. I brought her here to be David's governess."

She looked at Carolyn awaiting her reaction. Carolyn paled slightly then smiled and started to laugh. "Vicki is my half sister?"

Liz nodded her head and Carolyn stood and spun around in a circle. "No wonder I felt so close to her. I always felt there was more than just a friend connection to her." Then she paused and looked at her mother, her excitement dying a little. "Does she know?"

Liz shook her head no, and then tipped the sherry glass back and swallowed hoping to find courage in the glass. "I was going to tell her on her next birthday. But it would appear that will have to wait, since she and Barnabas are eloping. She will finally be a Collins in more than once sense of the name."

Outside the study door, Nicholas Blair listened to the private conversation of the two women when a voice from behind him drew his attention away from the important bit of information he had just heard, "Are you looking for someone Mr. Blair?" Julia Hoffman spotted the man listening at the door.

Turning abruptly, he laughed, "It would seem I got confused, the restroom is this way?" he started to put his hand on the door to the study Julia smiled a tight smile.

"No that would be the study, the restroom is this way, allow me to show you." 

"Why thank you Miss Hoffman . . ."

"Doctor Hoffman if you please Mr. Blair, I am a medical doctor." Her tone was superior and confident turning to lead him down the hallway to the water closet.

"Doctor you say and a medical doctor? Are you the Collins family personal physician?"

Julia stopped at an open door, and waved her hand to it. "As a matter of fact, yes I am."

Nicholas looked at the small room and bowed to Julia, "Thank you so much Doctor Hoffman, you were of immeasurable help." Nicholas entered the room, smiled at Julia and then closed the door, leaning into the door he waited for the sound of the click of her heels as she walked. Frowning he waited her out and as expected, he did hear her leave the area.

Waiting the appropriate time, he opened the door and stepped out, then in silent contemplation he studied the new information he had obtained, " _So, Victoria Winters is the bastard daughter of Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, this could be helpful information I could use later."_

The Wedding on board ship

Vicki stood in front of the full-length mirror and studied her image. The dress was of pure white satin and lace with elaborate beading on the bodice. The veil was attached by a clip to the back of her hair which was dressed in long curls that lay attractively down her back and over her right shoulder. The diamond and pearl clip accented the darkness of Vicki's hair, while the modesty of the white veil accent Vicki's purity.

Around her neck she wore an emerald and diamond necklace. She fingered the necklace and smiled at her reflection, Danielle began to quote what was needed for a wedding day for the bride. "Something old," She snapped the necklace in place, "Something new, would be the dress, something borrowed and something blue, . . . " Danielle smiled and picked up the garter which was made out of blue satin ribbon. "I wore one similar to this on my wedding. I had received two and well I would be honored if you wore it on yours. That way it will take care of the borrowed and blue."

Vicki sank to her dressing table bench and felt the satin of the dress spill around her like a sea of white perfection. Danielle bent and lifting her foot Vicki let her guide the garter to just above her left knee. "Thank you Danielle, I will take care not to get it soiled."

Danielle laughed, "Don't worry about it, I plan on giving it to you after the wedding."

Vicki stood and glanced around, "I don't have any flowers."

Danielle laughed, "Not to worry, Mr. Collins had some delivered before we left port and we have kept them fresh by keeping them in the cooler in the ships kitchen. Willie will have them for you on the deck."

Vicki was beginning to feel excited and nervous. "Well I suppose we should join my future husband on the deck now." She stood back and looked at Danielle, "Do I look all right?"

Danielle smiled and felt a sting of tears nodding she spoke softly. "You look beautiful, but before you go up, lets lower your veil over your face so Mr. Collins can appreciate you at the ceremony."

Vicki waited for Danielle to pull the short part of her veil over her face taking a deep breath to relieve the tension she walked to the doorway and opened it for her to exit. Walking on soft satin shoes Vicki followed Danielle up to the rear deck, and paused, taking a deep breath she watched other members of the crew begin to assemble on the deck to witness her marriage.

Willie came up behind her and spoke softly, "Vicki here are your flowers." Vicki turned to see white roses laced with the deep beauty of jasmine.

Smiling shyly and gratefully, "Thank you Willie." He held out his arm and she took it. From somewhere the wedding march began and Vicki walked with Willie down the small aisle way towards Barnabas, whom had turned with a proud smile of delight on his face.

Willie handed Vicki's hand over to Barnabas and then stepped to his side. Barnabas faced Vicki and gently raised her veil revealing her glowing face. Together they turned to face the Captain. The beauty of the bride and the pride of the groom touched Mark Black as he began the marriage rite ceremony by maritime law.

"Barnabas Collins do you take Victoria Winters as your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for richer or poorer in sickness and health till death do you part?" Barnabas tightened down his resolve hearing the last part of the vows.

"I do."

"Victoria Winters do you take Barnabas Collins to be your lawfully wedded husband to have and to hold, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health till death do you part?"

Vicki smiled and said, "Even death could not part us my love," then tipping her chin to the Captain she said, "I do." Those words she spoke to Barnabas filled his soul and heart with joy and he squeezed her hand.

Mark looked towards Danielle and Willie, "Do you have the rings?" Willie dug into his blue jeans and pulled out the ring and handed it to Barnabas, "Place the ring on her finger and signify it by saying with this ring I thee wed."

Barnabas took the ring and slid it on where it set next to the ornate engagement ring he had given her. "With this ring I thee wed."

Vicki handed her bouquet of flowers to Danielle and took the wedding band and turned to Barnabas, sliding the ring in place she said, "With this ring I bind myself to you. So with this ring I tee wed."

The Captain smiled and then proclaimed "By the powers vested in me through maritime law, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."

Barnabas gathered Vicki into his arms and kissed her deeply. Breaking his kiss he whispered, "I love you Victoria Winters Collins."

Tears brimmed her eyes and she smiled speaking with extreme controlled emotions she spoke softly. "I love you Barnabas Collins."

Danielle waiting for them to part stepped in for a hug and turned to the crew, "If you all would like to gather in the galley, between cook and myself, I have a nice tidy meal waiting for you, and a lovely wedding cake for cutting."

Barnabas and Vicki lead the crew to the galley where to their surprise the room was festively decorated for a reception. The area had been cleared so the couple could have the first dance in the middle of the floor. The soft melody of Unchained Melody filtered around the room and Barnabas bowed to his wife and she curtsied then together they began to waltz around the room to the cheers and clapping of the crew.

Vicki's bedroom

As the evening wore on and the seas became more noticeable, Vicki and Barnabas slipped away to her room, where Danielle had laid out a nightgown of purest white chiffon. Nervous about her wedding night, Vicki took a little longer than usual to get herself ready for her husband. When she finally exited her bathroom, she found Barnabas dressed in his silk pajamas and wearing his green smoking jacket.

"My dear Vicki, for fear of sounding like I am repeating myself; may I tell you how beautiful you look." He offered her a glass of champagne and took one himself. "To you my darling and a happy life together"

She tipped her glass to clink against his glass and smiled, sipping the drink, her nerves got the better of her and she drank it down in one gulp. "Barnabas, I kept myself pure, I have never been with anyone in that way." She rushed her confession to her husband. Tucking her chin she shyly glanced up to see his reaction.

Barnabas smiled and took her glass, "I will be gentle with you my dear, but your fears of consummating our love on this marriage bed is premature, I require only for you to comfort me this night and nothing else, I will hold you in my arms until you fall asleep and together we shall enjoy each others company until we get to Martinique. It is when we are out of the danger of this storm and in our home in Martinique we shall consummate our marriage and I will claim my husbandly rights." He smiled watching her blush a deep shade of bright pink and this endeared her to him even more.

A soft knock on the door allowed Vicki to excuse herself to the bathroom. Barnabas feeling irritated at the interruption opened the door more abruptly than was intended and immediately he calmed his anger. The Captain looked at him apologetically, "Mr. Collins, I am really sorry for this interruption, but Cook thought you might like this." He stepped aside to see a trolley laden with silver coverings.

"Also, I wanted to alert you to the fact we are about to enter the edge of the storm, so things will start becoming bumpy. I have adjusted the stabilizers as much as I can, but this is one nasty storm that seemed to have ballooned into something massive. I think the weather forecasters are calling this a Category 5 hurricane. Which is the worse storm with winds in excess of 150 miles per hour and those are the sustained winds. We will chart our course around this storm. But as wide as this storm has become it will still affect us somewhat."

Barnabas stood aside to allow the Captain to roll the trolley into the room, and as he did the ship caught a rather nasty swell. Barnabas caught the trolley before it rolled away. The Captain smiled apologetically to him and excused himself. Barnabas frowned when the ship rolled again and he heard a small yelp from Vicki's bathroom with a thump.

Barnabas hurried opening the door to find Vicki lying on the floor, the tell tale signs of her hitting her head on the edge of the tub. Blood dripped down the side of her forehead and marked the porcelain white surface of the tub. Rushing to her side he scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the bed. Gently, he laid her on the bed and went to get a cool damp cloth.

Coming back to the bed with a bowl of water and a washcloth, Barnabas spoke gently to her, "Vicki my sweet, open your eyes. Vicki, please my love, open your eyes."

Slowly her eyelashes fluttered and then she opened her eyes and looked at Barnabas confused. "Barnabas?"

She started to sit up and he gently pushed her back down. "No my sweet, you had a nasty fall in the bathroom"

"I did?" She felt disoriented and confused and laid still while he bathed her head.

"Yes, my dear, you did. He could see that the wound was more a surface wound and he leaned over and gently ran his tongue over the wound.

Vicki had closed her eyes and sighed. "I am sorry, you must be disappointed in me?"

Barnabas sat back and watched, the wound healed not marking the beauty of her face. He smiled lying beside her, "My dearest love, I could never be disappointed in you." She curled into his side and felt the strength of his arm around her.

Glancing up into his eyes, she was struck by how they had changed from that tortured and sad look to a soft and loving one. "I will do my best to always please you and to never disappoint you."

He drew her to him and placed a passionate kiss on her lips, breaking the kiss he whispered in her ear, "I will always and forever make it my life's ambition to make you happy, safe, and secure."

Vicki was fighting a headache; the bleeding had stopped but the dull throbbing of a headache held her in its grips. Slowly she rolled into his hold and snuggled close to him, drinking in the scent of him. "I love you Barnabas Collins, I am so happy to be your wife."

He hugged her close gathering her to him and the thirst for her blood overcame him. Pushing her back he looked into her eyes and spoke softly. "Will you comfort me this night my love?"

Vicki pulled her hair aside, then she tilted her head. Barnabas leaned down and very gently licked the throbbing artery. Holding her head in place to keep her from recoiling and causing him to tear her throat. With as much gentleness as he could offer, bit into her neck.

The urge to take her to the brink of death over whelmed him and he realized what he was doing when she went limp in his arms. Pulling back he bit his wrist and pressed his wrist to her mouth. "My beloved, drink." Weakly Vicki pressed her lips to his wrist and could taste the saltiness of the blood. She choked, but he held his wrist to her lips forcing her to take more of his blood. No longer able to maintain her consciousness she slipped into a dreamless sleep.

Barnabas held her to him and stroked her hair back from her pale features. "I was too hasty in my need. You must rest my love. I promise you that I will respect our love." Vicki's breathing was less labored and more restful while Barnabas held her. With the approach of daylight, Barnabas could feel the fatigue but could not see the sunlight. The skies were dreadfully and eerily grayish green. The ship was tossed and at one point Barnabas was afraid the boat might capsize.

Barnabas heard a soft knock on the door and carefully maintaining his balance, walked across the room to answer the door to see Danielle and Willie standing outside. "I am sorry to disturb you Mr. Collins, but the Captain says we will have at least another hour of bad seas but should be clear by daylight. Is there anything I can do for you or Mrs. Collins?" Willie was trying to look past Barnabas to see if Vicki was all right. Barnabas stepped into the hallway turning to Danielle he smiled.

"Mrs. Collins may need your special tea when she awakens Mrs. Clark, would you be so kind as to prepare it for her. Willie, I will need your assistance in my cabin." Danielle stepped past them both to go to the galley to prepare a tea tray.

Willie looked at Barnabas with fear and anger. "You didn't hurt her did you?"

Barnabas angrily peered at Willie. "I told you Willie, I would not harm her and I have not. Now, come with me, it is nearly dawn and I need to be secure in my room."

Willie went with Barnabas to his suite of rooms and made sure Barnabas was safely secured in his coffin. Once he knew Barnabas was safely tucked away and in his death like sleep. He darted back out into the hallway and down to Vicki's room. Willie wanted to beat Mrs. Clark in so he could check on Vicki to make sure she was ok.

Opening the door, he noted she was still sleeping soundly in her bed, walking to the bed he checked her neck and noted no marks on her throat. Turning he stopped abruptly and that is when he saw the bowl of bloodied water and the wash cloth. Turning back to Vicki he checked her again for any damage. Vicki opened her eyes and saw Willie leaning over her and sat up, but the loss of blood and her nasty fall made her feel dizzy. "Willie? Where is Barnabas?"

She instinctively pulled her bedclothes up to her neck and peered at him anxiously. "Oh he went to his rooms to lay down. Vicki are you all right?"

She smiled and nodded, then yawned. "Yes, I am why would you ask such a question?" Willie picked up the bowl of bloodied water with the washcloth in it. "Oh that I lost my footing in the bathroom and fell hitting my head against the tub. Barnabas was so helpful, he took care of it for me." Willie looked relieved.

Danielle entered the room carrying a tray with tea for Vicki and frowned when she saw Willie hovering over Vicki's bed. "Good morning Mrs. Collins, I brought you some tea. Captain says we will be in calmer waters in another hour. You may wish to stay in bed until then." Danielle poured her a cup of tea that was laced with the sleeping pills, smiling at her when she handed it over.

Vicki took the cup of tea and thanked her, then took a sip. "Oh this is so perfect, it is just what I needed. Thank you so much Danielle."

The ship rolled again and it reminded Willie he had other duties and Danielle was concerned for her cargo in the hull. "Is there anything else I might be able to do for you Vicki?" Danielle held her footing well on the rough seas.

"No, thank you. I think your advice may be what I need to do, which is to stay in bed a little longer, thank you Danielle."

Danielle watched her finish the tea and her eyes began to close. "Good girl, you will need your rest my dear, sleep tight." She waited for Vicki to slide under her covers and drift into a drugged sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Vicki's bedroom on board the ship

Falling asleep on a sea of strange memories, Vicki found herself walking down a long hallway, the fog from the sea drifting in around her legs. Pausing before a series of arched doors she pondered which one she should open. From behind her a angelic light silhouetted a male figure dressed in golden armor, with long flowing blond hair. "Choose the center door Victoria. Open the door and prepare yourself for wonders so astounding you will be in awe of what life's destiny holds for you."

Vicki paused and turned to look back at the handsome man. "Who are you?" He put his arm around her and she felt a warming glow of immeasurable security and safety fill her and she reached forward to open the door. A warm rush of fresh air encircled her body and she stepped through to find herself in a garden of rich color and beauty. She smiled and twirled around opening her arms up and feeling lighthearted she laughed. The young man in golden armor floated through the door with her and watched her in her childish play.

"Where am I?" She laughed as she felt so happy and secure. "You are here in the garden of enchantment and dreams dear Victoria, and this is where we will always meet when you need me." Victoria stopped her twirling about and studied the young man. "Who are you?" The young man had a timeless quality about him and he spoke softly. "I am your spirit guide, you may call me Michael. I am here to watch over and protect you from the evil that has surrounded you."

"Evil that surrounds me? Do you mean Barnabas?" Michael shook his head. "No, my dear not Barnabas, he is as much a victim as you were when you were sent back in time. You hold a power for good in you Victoria, and soon you and your family will need that power to battle against evil, and when that time comes, I will be there with you. You are about to face darkness and a yearning that will overwhelm you to the darkness that claimed Barnabas Collins many years ago. Together you both will face a decision, one that will open the door to your power, a power of that which will deem you a white witch for goodness."

Vicki looked at him in total confusion. "White witch, I did not know they existed, what do the do?" The young man smiled and reached forward and touched her forehead. She felt a surge of energy shoot through her and a healing power of goodness filled her being. The shock was so great she felt herself waver, and Michael caught her when she started to fall. Holding her protectively against his chest he spoke softly. "Sleep for now my dear, at the time of your death and rebirth, you will inherit what your father wanted you to have."

Vicki sat up startled from her dream and looked around the room. From the curtained window she could tell it was nearly sunset and the ship was no longer tossing and fighting against the swells of the sea. From her bathing chamber she could hear Danielle preparing her bath. The door opened and she entered her bedroom. "Hello Vicki, I have prepared your bath. I expect Mr. Collins will be joining you soon for dinner?"

Vicki nodded and thanked her, the dream still fresh in her memory, which had seemed so real. She knew she would need to prepare for Barnabas' arrival and slid from the bed. "Thank you Danielle." She walked with a heavy feeling of being drugged. "I don't understand why I feel so lethargic, if you see Mr. Collins tell him I will join him shortly for dinner."

Danielle smiled and nodded, "Yes, ma'am oh and the Captain said with this new course he plotted it will put us into port sooner instead of later, by tomorrow evening we should be making landfall in Martinique."

Vicki smiled. "I am sure Mr. Collins will be pleased with that information. He I know would feel that 'Idle hands make for the Devils Playground or at least that is what he used to tell his little sister before she died." She vaguely recalled how close Barnabas had been to Sarah and she was sure she had overheard that conversation between them one day when his sister was standing and staring off out of a window. She smiled recalling that conversation.

1796 flash back

"Sarah? Why are you not in bed?" Barnabas had entered her nursery and watched her stand in front of her window. Sarah had pivoted on her feet turned and smiled for her brother.

"Oh dear brother I was just waiting for Miss Winters to come and tuck me in for my nap. I was just watching the sun on the ocean and how it looks so pretty and sparkling." Barnabas had stepped to the window to look out at the same view his sister had just been admiring and he too smiled.

"Well you know what Aunt Abigail would say if she caught you being idle." They both had laughed and said it together, "idle hands make for the devil's playground." They had laughed together at how silly their Aunt was with her obsession with the devil.

Current time

Vicki had shaken her head to clear her thoughts of that moment so long ago in her mind and past and turned to bathe, she needed to be ready for Barnabas when he came for her.

Collinwood

Angelique felt her frustration growing with each passing hour as the mirror showed her nothing of the Lady Victoria and her voyage. The Lady Carolyn and Elizabeth had already made port, but nothing of the Lady Victoria. Pacing back and forth in her nightgown she chewed on her bottom lip. A light knock on her door alerted her to her husband's return. "Come in." She entreated and watched as Roger entered wearing his silk pajamas.

Angelique held a glass of a drugged laced brandy. "Hello darling, oh for me?" Roger kissed her cheek and then took the glass she offered to him. Roger walked to the bed and adjusted the pillows to support his head and sipped on the brandy. "I have your brother settled nicely in his room."

Angelique turned to sit prettily next to Roger on the bed and smiled at him, leaning over to rest her head on his chest. "Thank you Roger for accommodating Nicholas, it was very generous of you for letting him stay here."

Roger yawned and smiled at her and kissed the top of her head. "It is no problem," again he yawned and soon she felt him lay the empty glass on the table and his body relaxed and she could hear he was sleeping soundly. Rising from the bed, she pulled him down and covered him, then slowly and on silent footsteps left his room to sear out Nicholas.

Nicholas was sitting comfortably by a fire, watching the window as lightening streak across the night sky. A book lay open on his lap. "Come in my dear, what brings you from your connubial bed of bliss to grace my room?" His words were sarcastic and mocking.

"Do not mock me Nicholas, how am I to know the storm is doing its job?"

Nicholas stood and walked to the open window of his room and folded his arms over his chest. "You won't until your quarry appears in your mirror. Once they leave the ship, then you will know. You must be patient my dear."

Angelique frowned and chewed her lip in frustration. "I want him here so he can see what I will do to his precious family and his precious Victoria. I will crush him and her."

Nicholas laughed. "My, my he has incurred your wrath. What will you do my dear if he has been successful in marrying the lovely Miss Winters?"

Angelique did a slow burn at the thought of this. "She will meet the same fate as Josette did, she will fling herself from Widows Hill."

Nicholas chuckled, "How typical and tired you are in doing away with all the women he loves, really my dear I would have thought by now you would become a bit more original in your revenge. Why not make her a vampire as he is."

Angelique crossed her arms over her chest and harrumphed, "I will not allow him to have the woman he loves to be a part of his life for eternity."

Nicholas smiled and in mocking tones said, "My dear Angelique, you are positively turning green with envy and boiling a lovely shade of red with jealousy."

Angelique pushed passed Nicholas and plopped down on a nearby chair, folding her arms over her chest and crossing her left knee over her right knee. "I will promise you this much, should he turn her, I shall be there to expose her to the morning sun or drive a stake through her heart myself."

Nicholas frowned and stepped behind her chair and spoke softly into her ear. "You will do no such thing, you will follow MY orders and allow me to take whatever action need be, do you understand Angelique. Diablos is getting tired of your petty affections for Barnabas Collins, as am I. Now, you will exercise some patience and wait for the storm to drive them ashore."

"Pursing her lips into a pretty pout, she looked down at her left foot that had started an agitate bounce. "How long am I to endure this farce of a marriage with that buffoon Roger?" A slight noise from the hallway alerted the two occupants to someone listening in to their conversation. Nicholas, put a shushing finger to his lips and motioned that Angelique should continue with her conversation. "I do not know how long I can put up with his insipid comments and banal love talk. Really, Nicholas, he is such a fool. I don't know what I was thinking when I agreed to this marriage."

Nicholas had carefully worked his way to the door and jerked it open and reached out to snag David Collins by the shoulder and arm jerking him inside. "Owww let go of me, I am going to tell my father what you said!"

Nicholas deposited David down in front of Angelique. "Really? And what makes you think you will be able to tell anyone anything if you can't talk?" Angelique reached forward and put two fingers against David's throat and uttered unintelligible words ending with " . . . so sayeth the dark lord Diablos."

Nicholas released David and he opened his mouth to utter more threats but was suddenly struck dumb and unable to talk. Grabbing his throat his eyes widen and he turned to Nicholas and kicked him in his shins and then ran past the warlock out the door and into the hallway where he disappeared down the hallway

Nicholas rubbed his shin and muttered under his breath as he sat on the edge of his bed. "Little brat."

Angelique could not help but snicker as his distress. "Well at least we won't need to worry about him. As for the rest of the family, I wish to plan an Armageddon for their demise and time it for the return of Barnabas."

Nicholas was easing the pain from his shin and sighed deeply, "One member at a time my dear and choose your battles wisely. After all, your Barnabas may already be married and not ready to return home."

Angelique pushed herself up from her chair doing another slow turn uttering a few epitaphs under her breath and began to pace back and forth in front of Nicholas. "If they marry, then the first to die in front of him will be his precious Vicki Winters."

Nicholas carefully studied Angelique and then he smiled, "Perhaps, we will wait and see when the storm clears. Now, my dear it is time for you to return to your connubial bed and for me to speak to our master, he is summoning me." 

_Lady Victoria_

The skies had cleared and Vicki felt the soft roll of the ship as she pressed through the smooth sailing waters. Captain Black met the pair on the deck careful not to show too keen an interest in how the newly wed couple was acting. "Good evening Mr. and Mrs. Collins, I have some excellent news to impart."

Vicki and Barnabas smiled at the Captain, "Really, we can see the ocean has calmed." Barnabas put his arm around Vicki's waist resting his hand on her hip.

The Captain smiled and took his hat off and gave a half bow to Vicki, "We should be making landfall on Martinique tomorrow right at sundown. The storm actually did us a favor, and the winds helped steer us faster than we had thought."

Barnabas hugged her closer to him. "Wonderful, have to notified the house to have a car waiting for us?" Vicki laid her head on Barnabas' shoulder and sighed.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, a limo has been ordered for both you and Mrs. Collins and Mrs. Clark. I hope you don't mind?"

Vicki smiled and spoke to the Captain, "Not in the least, Danielle has become quite the friend to me. We will be happy to give her a ride to wherever she needs to go."

Barnabas nodded. "That will be fine, what of the equipment she will be transporting, has arrangements been made to get her equipment off the ship and to her husband's employer?

The captain put on his hat and nodded. "Yes, all arrangements have been made. I would suggest you get your things pack tomorrow morning, so that we can get you tendered to the island. Once I know where we can dock, I will dock. I will be in port for about 1 week then if you wish to go on with me, we can get you aboard and on our way. Otherwise, I will go on to England."

Barnabas looked at Vicki, "Of course I will leave it up to you my love." He laid a sweet little kiss on the top of her head. "That sounds fine Captain. Just keep us informed and after we make port, I will let you know our decision."

The rest of the evening went well, as Barnabas and Vicki found their love for each other growing deeper with each passing minute. Barnabas took her to a romantic dinner on the rear deck, and they spent the evening dancing, and talking getting familiar with their commonalities between each other. "Barnabas, before we get to Martinique, I wish to tell you about Peter Bradford."

Barnabas looked deeply into her eyes and lifted her hand to his lips and spoke gently, "If it is important to you, then by all means go on my dear."

Vicki smiled and with her free hand she cupped the side of his face. "When I went back in time, I was accused of witchcraft, and I was found guilty."

Barnabas could see the pain in her eyes as she spoke of what happened. Barnabas placed his fingertips on her lips, "Shhh, my love, remember we agreed that it was nothing more than a dream."

Vicki kissed his fingertips and spoke softly, "Reality or dream my precious, there was a man named Peter Bradford who was very kind to me, he defended me. I took his kindness as an element of hope to cling to. So, I imagined I was in love with him. He did exist Barnabas, Julia found his death recorded in the records in Collinsport, he was hanged for murder of a man that I killed. Noah Gifford was trying to kill Daniel Collins and I shot him. Nathan Forbes testified that Peter killed him, but it was me." Vicki was so desperate for him to believe her that her voice had gone up an octave in her need for him to believe what she was saying was the truth.

Barnabas could see she was starting to distress herself and he held her close. "Vicki its all right. I can explain why you know these things. You were obviously caught up in the history of the Collins family and there is a mention of a trial of a Governess by the name of Wycke, Phyllis Wycke that was tried for witchcraft, she was defended by a man named Peter Bradford, they escaped from jail and this Noah Gifford was killed as a result. They were captured and Miss Wycke was hanged. I believe that the séance' had you so over wrought that you put yourself in the place of this Miss Wycke and lived her life through your interpretation of what you read. You are a highly imaginative, intelligent young lady, do you honestly think it possible to travel back in time?"

He held her gaze intently and watches as she wrestled with what she knew and felt with what were the factual realities of her belief. "I believe that we all occupy a space and time, that it can become confused and we can find ourselves in a timeline that has crossed our own. That is what I believed happened."

Barnabas chuckled and kissed her forehead, "But my dear how do you explain the differences in how long you thought you were there and here you were only missing a few minutes at most. If you were truly back in time, would time not be relevant to our own time?"

She looked confused and sighed. "I understand what you are saying my love, but it felt so real and I felt as though I had lived months as opposed to the minutes you say. Regardless, there was a man in my life whose name was Peter Bradford and we thought we loved one another."

She clung to her husband and he could feel her tremble. "Well, that is in the past, now you are Mrs. Barnabas Collins and you love me and I love you."

She looked into his soulful brown eyes and smiled, "Yes, I love you Barnabas Collins with all my heart and soul." Slowly, they walked back to their room where they met Danielle, who had a nice tray of treats waiting for the newly weds. Vicki noticed that Danielle seemed usually quiet and wondered what might have upset her. Barnabas dismissed her and she quietly left the room heading down to the ships hull to check on her cargo.

Cargo Hull

"So Victoria Winters was the woman Peter had fallen in love with during her trial." She felt her stomach churn with anxiety. She liked Vicki, and from what she learned from Jeff when he transitioned to the Twentieth Century it was her he had attempted to find. " _I must keep them from being together, Peter must not remember her ever."_ She was furiously pacing back and forth. "I don't want to kill her, I like her and she is now married to Mr. Collins, she is in love with Barnabas." She spoke to the wrapped figure floating in the tank.

Chewing on her thumbnail, she stopped and looked around the area, "What are the chances they will even see one another? I will get this experiment over and Jeff and I will go away, he won't even have a chance to see Vicki Winters or even remember her." Her plans made Danielle went to her room to sleep, tomorrow by nightfall, they would be in Martinique.

Victoria's bedroom

Barnabas was beginning to feel his needs to claim his wife in their matrimonial bed wear on him. He had promised Vicki he would wait for Martinique, so he would have to satisfy himself with holding her close and taking comfort from her. As he satiated his needs for blood from her body, he was growing more and more anxious about bringing her over. He had resolved he would not do that until she was ready. Holding her sleeping form in his arms, he looked upon the sweetness of her face and sighed. " _She is so lovely_." He wanted to preserve her beauty. Biting his wrist he took his blood and pressed it to her lips and whispered in her ear, "Drink Vicki, my love drink from me. You will need your strength for tomorrow."

Subconsciously, Vicki pressed her lips to the blood and drank letting it flow down her throat. "That's right my dear, drink." He watched as she finished and the wounds on her neck closed over, as Barnabas' own wounds closed over. "I will allow no harm come to you my lovely bride, nothing can stop us now." Barnabas rested with her in his arms until sunrise; he then quietly let himself out of the room and went to his own quarters. He would let Willie take care the arrangements of boxing up his coffin and packing his luggage.

Preparing for his day's rest he could not help but wondered what was happening back in Collinwood and why Angelique had not tried to interfere with their wedding. His mind was tired and for the first time in nearly 200 years he was happy. The kind of happiness he had hoped to share with his darling Josette. It was with the thoughts of Vicki he held as he fell into the death like sleep that always took him at sunrise.

Vicki had felt the day passing when she finally awoke at noon. She was unusually tired and had the most odd taste in her mouth. Touching her fingertips to her lips she felt something dried on the corner of her mouth, rubbing it she pulled her finger back and peered down at what looked like dried blood. She mused whether or not she had bit her tongue or lip during the night and got up from her bed to go and look into the mirror. She saw nothing out of order.

A soft knock at her door alerted her to a guest and she called, "Come in."

Danielle bustled in and forced a smile to her lips. "Do you want me to draw you a bath?"

Vicki viewed her in the reflection of the mirror. "No, I can get my own bath dear. Have you packed your things, we are going to make port at sun set."

Danielle nodded and smiled more naturally. "I left out your traveling clothing and have already packed your things. The last items to be packed will be your toiletries and make up. I put your dress and under things in the bathing room."

Vicki studied her and noticed she seemed a bit on edge, "Danielle, are you all right?"

Immediately, Danielle felt her act was not as convincing as she had hoped. "I am just anxious, the Captain said the storm was drifting more towards Martinique and I just want to be on land before it hits."

Vicki nodded because that made sense. "Well Captain Black is a good seaman he will get us safely ashore, you can rest easy, and soon you will be with your husband. I know you must miss him terribly."

Danielle smiled and nodded, "I do, very much. Well Vicki if you don't need me, I will go and finish packing my things."

Vicki smiled at her and nodded, "Go on, you take care of yourself. I can handle the rest here."

Another knock on the door, and Danielle opened the door to Willie pushing a trolley. "I have brunch for you Vicki, its mostly fruit and some sliced meats with cheeses."

Vicki stood and walked to the tray. "Thank you Willie." She reached for her housecoat, realizing she was still in her flimsy nightgown. Blushing a bit she took the tray and set it on the table by her day lounger.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

On Board the Lady Victoria

Hallway of Ship

Danielle and Willie both left Vicki to her own devices both knowing they would have a lot to do by night fall. "She is very nice don't you think?" Danielle said as a passing comment to Willie while they made their way down the hallway to each of their staterooms.

"Yeah, she has always cared more for other people than herself." Willie looked concern while make this comment then cast his glance down appearing to have said too much.

Danielle paused and sighed, "Would almost make a harden individual think that would make her and easy mark." She had mused this softly with a distant look her gaze going over the narrow hallway of the ship.

Willie nodded and then began to study Danielle a little more closely. To him the use of her language was closer to what he had been used to before Barnabas. "She is not a sucker, and for some reason, she comes out of bad situations mostly untouched." Willie defended Vicki

Danielle smiled and said, "Maybe she has a guardian angel looking out for her." That is what she liked to believe for the true innocents of the world. In this case she had hopes that was true for Vicki.

Willie hadn't thought about it much and only nodded. "Yeah or a ghost." He had half teased but he knew Josette always seemed to take up for Vicki or be there for her.

Danielle chuckled and shook her head, "I don't believe in ghosts Mr. Loomis, so I will just continue to believe it's an angel." Her smile had tightened somewhat she did not want to believe in ghosts for truth be told, she would be considered resurrected from the dead and placed in this body to be with Peter.

Willie shrugged and feeling uncomfortable talking to her about Vicki used the opportunity to nodded and dart into his room, "Well I gotta a lot of packing to do for Mr. Collins. See ya." He darted into the cabin closing the door behind him and leaning against it.

Five hours later

As sunset, a bustle of activity alerted the passengers that soon they would be making landfall. As Danielle ordered the careful removal of the crate marked "Scientific Equipment" Vicki and Barnabas stepped onto the tender boat.

Collinwood

At that moment, Angelique was sitting in front of her mirror and she was mumbling, "Where are you Barnabas Collins?" The mirror shifted to show the loving couple on the tender headed for port. Immediately, Angelique identified the landmarks as Martinique. A slow burn consumed her as she watched the loving couple and another female enter a limo. Barnabas appeared to be euphoric and this made Angelique even angrier, so angry that the storm she and Nicholas had conjured up in the warm West Indies waters was sent with vengeful force to the island.

Martinique

Barnabas could feel the shift in the weather and hurried Vicki into the waiting luxury car. The wind was coming in more forceful as they pulled away from the docks, and the skies opened up. Angelique fumed watching Barnabas protectively put his arm around Vicki and that is when she out did herself, seeing the car approaching a nasty cut back in the roadway she sent the vehicle careening down an embankment and into a tree.

Collinwood

She laughed with glee watching the occupants of the car bounce about. Then as her final evil act of jealousy, she used her powers to break a huge limb off to cave in the car on top of Vicki and Danielle. She heard the anguish cry of Barnabas as he pulled both women from under the limb and out of the car into the driving rainstorm. Barnabas held Vicki's lifeless body in his arms and cried out in anguish.

Martinque

As much as Angelique was enjoying this, she was interrupted by the arrival of Roger. Concealing her magical mirrors abilities to appear like a normal mirror she did not see Barnabas last desperate act of saving Vicki from death. Cradling her lifeless body close he could barely detect a heartbeat, he knew time was of the essence, so lowering his lips to her neck, he drank from her and then once again, bit his wrist and forced the blood into her mouth. "Drink Vicki, drink and join me. You will die this night but when the next sunset falls, you will be my true bride of the night forever." He could feel her lips against his wrist and she weakly nursed from his wound. As the rain pounded them and the skies were at war, Barnabas did not see the limb from anther tree as it crashed down on him and Vicki. He knew nothing else as darkness descended on him.

When the emergency crew arrived and removed the limbs from the area, they found Barnabas, Vicki and Danielle. With as much haste as they could make in the horrendous weather, they transported them to the nearest hospital, the Eric Lang Sr. Memorial Hospital. Josette hovered over Barnabas' body while they transported him by gurney to a private room. As the two women were wheeled into the emergency triage area, Eric looked to the nurse who had tried to get vitals from both women.

He looked at Vicki first and noticed the wounds in her neck. Glancing up at the nurse she frowned and looked sadly at the lovely young woman on the gurney and shook her head, covering her face with the sheet. Then Eric Lang looked over at Danielle and frowned. "Where is Clark?" He asked with a hint of concern. June Wainwrights shrugged, "He was at the docks securing your equipment his wife brought with her." The nurse hated to see such a waste with both women being in a state of death, so young and so pretty.

Eric took his own stethoscope and listened to Danielle's chest. "Send them both to the morgue, say nothing to Clark, and let me handle this."

June looked confused, "Why?" She could not understand what the main problem was for him to have to handle anything.

Eric Lang sighed, "Because this is his wife. Now as I said and for Mr. Collins, I need whole blood he apparently has lost a lot of blood."

June covered Danielle's face and nodded to the Orderly, "Yes Dr. Lang." Turning to the to male attendants she spoke with an official and efficient tone to her voice. "Take them to the morgue and when Clark gets back, send him immediately to Dr. Lang."

The Orderly nodded and wheeled Vicki's body to the morgue coming back to get Danielle's. June walked down to supply and returned with a bottle filled with whole blood. She carefully hung the bottle on a hook suspended from the ceiling. Using a needle to insert the tubing from the bottle to the gentleman in the bed.

She noticed how he kept muttering someone's name, "Vicki, Vicki, you can't die on me. We will be together always." Eric Lang studied the man in the bed, chewing on the end earpiece of his glasses.

Outside the hurricane force winds battered the hospital with its fury. "Is it possible?" Eric muttered to himself and the nurse June, turned to Eric Lang and watched him lost in thought as he watched Barnabas in the bed.

Wondering if he had asked her a question she asked, "What Doctor? Were you talking to me?"

Eric waved her off and then ordered, " No, no just thinking out loud my dear. " He turned to her and slid his glasses on. "I want the drapes to be closed at all times while Mr. Collins in here, especially during the daylight hours. I also want a salene bottle hung on his pole too. Under no circumstances is there to be any daylight allowed into this room. Is that understood?"

June finished hooking the whole blood drip up to Barnabas and nodded, "Yes, I understand doctor, I could have black out curtains or the windows painted black if you wish. Also, will you be telling him about his wife?" She had noted his instructions and had underlined them on his chart and turned to look around the room.

Eric blinked and then became animated, "His wife? Was that who the dark hair woman was?" He was almost too animated with his excitement the way his eyes lit up and the smile that edged his lips.

June nodded, "Yes, her name was Victoria Winters Collins."

Eric started for the door, "Prepare the room next to Mr. Collins room, and the same applies to that room, the drapes are to remain drawn at all times, I am going to the morgue to bring up Mrs. Collins, if I am right, her heart is beating so slow it could not be detected, she is not dead! She is merely in a deep healing sleep."

The next day

Barnabas opened his eyes to a darken room, he felt different; it was as if his whole body was filled with aches and pains. That was impossible, he had not had those feelings for over 200 years. His head hurt and his body cried out in pain every time he moved. "Hello Mr. Collins, how are you feeling?" Eric Lang stood at the end of his hospital bed studying him over the top of his glasses.

Barnabas sat up with a groan of pain, finidng his house shoes y his bed he struggled to his feet to stand and looked around and then back to Lang. "My wife, where is she?"

Nurse Wainwright entered the darkened room holding a chart and handed it to Dr. Lang, he motioned for the nurse to help Mr. Collins back into his bed. "Victoria is in the room next to yours'. She unfortunately is still unconscious. I suspect she will become more active in another five hours." Lang signed off on the chart and looked at the drip of whole blood running into Barnabas' veins. "Adjust the flow and up the drug to 30 units. When Mrs. Collins awakens, do the same for her. She will adjust a little more quickly due to the recent bout of her condition."

Barnabas looked at Doctor Lang, "Just who are you?" Barnabas was feeling dreadful enough without all this cloak and dagger and mystery that was surrounding his arrival at this island hospital.

Lang waited for the nurse to adjust Mr. Collins pillow and covers and for her to leave the room. "I am Dr. Eric Lang Mr. Collins and I very well may be the answer to your prayers. I have contact Julia Hoffman in Maine and she in on a private flight on her way to the island as we speak. She was quiet adamant that I was to do no testing on you or your wife. That you were to be kept in a darkened room during the daylight hours due to what she termed was an allergy to the sunlight."

Lang stepped to Barnabas bedside and looked at him, "I think her diagnosis is off, personally I think you are suffering from an acute case of vampirism. What do you think Mr. Collins that you and your wife are vampires?" Barnabas was becoming agitated and dropped his eye contact with the doctor.

"I don't know what you are talking about?" Barnabas was quick to deny the question or the accusation either way he was not about to confirm or deny anything with the sad condition he currently found his body in and he certainly had to think of Victoria now and if she was in any danger.

Lang chuckled and stepped to the curtains covering the window. Barnabas looked at him and spoke quietly, "Would you be so kind as to advise me what time it is?"

Eric looked at his watch and smiled, "Why Mr. Collins? Why is it important to know the time? Why would the hour of the day mean anything to you?" He tilted his head and continued to study Barnabas.

Barnabas sighed and looked at the door and then to Lang. He desperately wanted to go see Vicki. "I wish to see my wife, and to do it in relative comfort Doctor. As you must be aware I do suffer from a sun allergy." Barnabas was going to go along with what Julia had said was his condition and admit nothing more.

Lang nodded and said softly, "It is 4:20 Mr. Collins." Barnabas stood from the bed and tugged on the IV. "I would not do that Mr. Collins you need what is in that tube that is going into your veins." Lang's voice had grown soft and held a hint of calculated anticipation.

Barnabas frowned, and demanded, "And why is that?" Eric grabbed the curtain and pulled it open letting the afternoon sunshine enter the room. "Because its 4:20 in the afternoon Mr. Collins." Allowing the soft sunshine to stream into the room and over Barnabas's body.

Barnabas screamed and covered his face as the sunlight hit him. "NOOOO, you foo . . ." His skin did not burn, he did not catch fire, he lowered his hands from his face and felt the warmth of the sun upon his skin. "How?" He took a step towards the window and stood in the sunshine. The look of wonder filled his face while his eyes adjusted to the sunshine something he had been denied seeing in over 200 years. "How is this possible? Julia's treatments failed and I could not tolerate any sun." He looked at the sunshine with a hint of marvel and incredulousness.

Lang clapped a hand on his shoulder, "How long has it been Mr. Collins? How long since you were able to look upon the light of day?" Barnabas turned to drag the pole that held his IV to the balcony and stood looking around as the soft rays of sunlight illuminating the brightly covered sidewalk, which was lined with a cacophony of color. "My eyes have not seen the light of day for over 200 years." His words were filled with wonder and awe.

Barnabas drank in the beauty around him much like a man dying of thirst in a desert. He stepped to the balcony's edge and peered around him in wonder.

Dr. Lang stepped to his side. "I had read Julia Hoffman's dissertation in graduate school and was intrigued by her hypothesis. Who would have begun to think that a creature such as you would have existed for her to experiment on?"

Barnabas felt offended by his reference, not realizing that Lang was merely doing an observation that a vampire could even exist in the twentieth century. "I beg your pardon, but with what you have done for me, I am no creature, but a living breathing existing human being."

Lang took his glasses off and chewed on the earpiece. "Mr. Collins my apologies, but I must warn you, the cure you think I have affected is only temporary. Your desire for human blood will return and your aversion to the daylight will be a reality."

Barnabas looked at Lang feeling like a child that had been robbed of his favorite toy. True to the words that were spoken. Barnabas immediately began to feel a sweat building on his brow and Lang ushered him back into the room and to his bed. Turning to quickly close the drapes, he went back to Barnabas and reattached his IV of whole blood.

"You should have left me as I was doctor, to offer me such a brief trip to a paradise that I have long to live to only snatch it away from me was very cruel. What of my wife shall she be denied the same as I? Will she suffer the pain of being robbed of her humanity and the sunshine she so loved?"

Lang was looking at Barnabas finishing the job of replacing his IV. "Oh no, what I hope to offer you would be your mortality. I hope to convince you that it is possible to live always in the sunshine, to have children, and to grow old with your lovely wife. In reality Mr. Collins to be human again."

Barnabas was given hope once again and he looked over to Dr. Lang with an expectation for him to continue. In stead Dr. Lang was studying Barnabas under a critical brow. "You intrigue me Dr. Lang, do go on."

Eric Lang was about to continue when June Wainwright entered and whispered in his ear. Dr. Lang nodded, "Tell him I wish to speak with him and to wait for me." Lang turned back to Barnabas, "Will you please excuse me? My protégé' just found out his wife died in the same accident as you and Mrs. Collins."

"Of course, by all means go and assist Danielle's husband. If he has any questions, you may refer him to me, I was there when she and Vicki were crushed by the tree limb." Dr. Lang started for the door and Barnabas stopped him, "Doctor Lang, would it be possible for me to see my wife?"

Eric nodded, "Of course, Nurse Wainwright get a wheel chair and take Mr. Collins in to see his wife." Lang stepped aside while she wheeled the chair into his room.

"give me a few moments to shift your pole with your chair so we do not interrupt the flow of fluids into your body Mr. Collins." Baranbas was far from calm or wishing to remain calm, he wanted to see Victoria and the sooner the better.

Lang exited Barnabas room and saw Jeff standing by the nurse's station. "Clark, please join me . . ." Both men were interrupted when a vision in white appeared in the doorway of one of the rooms. Vicki stood poised in the doorway; an incredible light silhouetted her form. The light gave her an ethereal appearance almost angelic as she peered at the man in front of her. Confusion, joy, and insecurity filled her when she looked upon a face she thought she would never see again. "Peter?" She said his name and stepped forward only to feel her vision begin to blur and she pitched forward into a whirling pool of darkness. Her hand extended forward in an attempt to hold onto something to keep her from tumbling headfirst forward.

Jeff rushed forward to catch her before she fell to the floor in a faint. Jeff looked at her and felt an odd sensation of vague recognition. Lang stepped to her side and lifted her eyelid. "She has fainted lets get her back to her bed. Her husband is coming to see her."

Jeff looked at Vicki with curiosity and confusion. "She called me Peter, do you think she knows me?" Lang led Jeff to the room next to Barnabas, "Now how could she know you, your name is not Peter it is Jeff, Jeff Clark. She is confused due to her injury, she was in the same car as Danielle."

Jeff gently laid Vicki on the hospital bed and Eric covered her. While they covered her, Barnabas and Nurse Wainwright entered the room. Jeff brushed Vicki's hair out of her face and spoke softly. "She is so lovely."

Barnabas feeling very territorial spoke with a superior tone. "Yes she is very lovely. Just one of the many qualities that made me fall in love with her and marry her." The tone of that voice brooked no argument over whom he was and how he felt about his wife.

Jeff stood back and turned to see Barnabas peering at him very much like he wanted to kill him for touching his wife. Eric Lang stepped between the two men and spoke cajolingly, "Mrs. Collins just fainted Mr. Collins, she would I am sure wish to see the loving face of her husband when she comes around. If you will excuse me, Mr. Clark and I will take our leave and attend to our other business."

Barnabas immediately shifted his murderous gaze to one of sympathy. "Of course Dr. Lang, and Mr. Clark, my deepest condolences. On our trip over Danielle had endeared herself to my wife, they had become fast friends on the trip."

Jeff looked from Vicki then to Barnabas, "Thank you, if you will excuse me, I must see to the arrangements of my wife." He walked out of the room and past Barnabas' chair.

Lang followed nodding to June and Barnabas as they left the room. June pushed Barnabas to Vicki's bed and left him. Barnabas lifted Vicki's hand and pressed his lips to the palm. "My beloved, come back to me." His words were spoken with gentle care. "I cannot loose you now."

Collinwood

From Collinwood, Angelique had managed to get away from Roger's cloying attention and locked herself in their room. She peered with complete happiness at the picture in her mirror. Barnabas was pleading with Victoria Winters not to die. She crossed her arms and laughed, "Oh Barnabas, you stupid foolish man. Do you not realize I will make sure you loose your precious Victoria just as you lost Josette.' Angelique looked at the pale reflection of Vicki as she lay in a death like sleep. "Soon my dear Barnabas, you will be back in Collinwood and under my spell again. You will never, never be able to love or be loved. You will always be a creature of the night forever destined to hunt the night for your next victim."

A knock on the door, and Angelique waved her hand over the mirror returning it to its original appearance of nothing more than an ordinary mirror. "Cassandra, my darling. Why is the door locked?" Roger implored his wife to open the door. "Cassandra?"

Composing herself Angelique opened the door, "Oh darling, I am so sorry. I had a bit of a headache and must have accidently locked the door before I fell asleep."

Roger entered and kissed her forehead. "Do you need anything my dear, we can ask Julia before she leaves on her trip."

Angelique shook her head. "No my dear, I am fine. I just needed a little nap. Where is Julia going?"

Roger lead her out of the room and towards the hallway to the man stairway. "She got a call about a patient and said she would need to go and attend to them. She does have her own clinic about 100 miles from here, I believe its called Wyndcliff."

Cassandra nodded. "I see she must be a very important doctor, having her own hospital."

Roger put his arm around her waist. "Yes, I suppose she is. Darling are you sure you are better? Do wish Julia to take a look at you before she goes."

Cassandra waved it off. "No dear, I am fine. It was a small headache and my little nap has made me feel much better." The entered the hallway at the grand stair case and paused as they watched Julia hang up her phone.

Two suitcases sat at the doorway entrance. Carolyn came out of the upstairs doorway with her coat and car keys in hand. "All set Julia?"

Julia turned to see Cassandra and Roger, then Carolyn, putting a smile on her face she nodded. "I just need to get my coat."

Liz Stoddard came from the dining room area carrying Julia's coat. "Here you go Julia, I had Mrs. Johnson sew on that button that was loose. You have a safe trip to Boston." Carolyn smiled at Cassandra and Roger as she passed them and skipped down the stairs.

Roger frowned "Boston? I thought you were going to Wyndcliff."

Julia put on her coat and glanced at Roger, "I am being called in on a consultation. Carolyn graciously offered to drive me to Portland to catch a plane out to Boston."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Collinwood

Roger turned to Cassandra, "See my dear, you were right, she is an important doctor and we are fortunate to have her as our own personal doctor." Roger turned to Julia with a smile, "I offered your services to Cassandra earlier because she said she had a headache."

Julia glanced Cassandra over and gave the appropriate professional look of concern. "Oh? Do you require my services?"

Cassandra could have throttled Roger and laughed uncomfortably, "Oh my no. I told Roger all I needed was a nap. My headache is gone now and all is right with my world again."

Julia nodded and smiled, "Well when I return if you like we can do a physical examination on you just to make your husband feel more secure about your health."

Cassandra feigning gratitude laughed again. "Thank you doctor, we will discuss it when you are not about to rush off to another city. I am sure at this time you have more pressing matters to worry about other than my common headache."

Julia smiled back and said insincerely while Cassandra watched as David lifted Julia's suitcases to carry them out to Carolyn's car. "Headaches can be an indicator of something more serious, but as you say Mrs. Collins we shall discuss it on my return." Julia turned to gather her purse and gloves waited as Roger helped her with her coat. "Thank you Roger, I will see you in a few days."

Carolyn having already gone to the garage had pulled to the front of the house hit her horn a couple of times alerting Julia that she was out front. David entered the doors and held them for Julia allowing her to exit. David turned to see his father and new stepmother standing in the foyer and he waited seeing the look of contentment on his father's face. Roger watched David, "Well young man. It appears we are going to have to see about getting you another governess."

Elizabeth cleared her throat. "I have already made arrangements for Maggie Evans to take Vicki's place. She is going to be starting tomorrow. Oh and Tom Jennings will be bringing Amy Jennings over and I thought she would be good company for David." Elizabeth turned to enter the drawing room expecting them to follow her into the room.

Roger frowned, "Are we becoming a home for displaced children now?" He did sound disingenuous.

Which was beginning to irritate Liz. Elizabeth frowned and crossed her arms in a defensive pose over her chest. "Must I remind you who is the owner of this house?" Her tone was chilly and she had taken on a very defensive pose with her narrowed eyed gaze.

Roger waved her off. "Of course not dear sister, I know how quick you are to remind me of who owns what in this family. Come Cassandra, I am sure Mrs. Johnson has one of her famous boiled New England dinners awaiting our palates unless you prefer to eat in town tonight?" He looked at her with hopefulness.

She smiled at Roger, "That might be nice darling to have a meal just for you and myself." The words were said with a feigned sincerity the smile was tight and she was not about to show her hand by forcing Elizabeth's hand on this issue.

Roger patted her arm and turned to Elizabeth, "I am sure you will excuse us this evening my dear sister, my wife and I will be dining in Collinsport tonight. We are after all still on our honeymoon." He had taken on a soft silky tone with an hint of his intentions with his wife later after he had wined and dined her. To which Cassandra tightened her own smile. She would deal with Roger once they were away from Collinwood, she did feel she had a right to celebrate she had caused a great deal of grief and pain this night to one she had considered her enemy.

Elizabeth did not wish another argument with Roger and watched as he turned and excused himself to go and retrieve their coats. With Roger's departure, a low rumble of thunder rolled across the land and vibrated the house reminding the others that a storm was brewing and would soon make landfall. Cassandra called after Roger, "Do hurry my dear, it sounds like a storm is coming." She turned with a smile that seemed to be locked on her face causing her cheeks to hurt. "I a sorry he does get testy doesn't he?"

Roger called back, "I will fetch umbrellas as well." Cassandra turned to look at Elizabeth Collins Stoddard. Although she resembled Naomi Collins in every respect, she certainly was no shrinking violet. She would have to be careful around her. It would seem the women in this century actually had more to say and held the power and this was something she was beginning to like.

Martinique

Victoria found herself in a large room with no beginning and no end. A white fog encircled her body and a soft warm breeze encircled her as she stood twisting to peer around her. " _What is this place?"_ Her thoughts were conflicted. Her body did not feel it belonged to her. The feeling of normality was no longer hers and she was lost in this seemingly endless room. "Hello?" She stepped forward and realized she wore a gown of white gossamer.

It drifted around her body much as the white fog did. From a distance she heard voices and she moved towards the voices. As her vision cleared she saw what appeared to be a nurse's station with two men standing at it. When the one man turned Vicki felt her world tilt. It was Peter Bradford. She spoke his name and then felt her world begin to spin and she knew she had fainted and once again she back in the endless room filled with white fog.

Drifting about the room, she hoped to recognize something familiar. Then from in front of her a figure appeared. Vicki could see the figure was a handsome man his appearance was timeless. When he smiled at her she was filled with a calm and she smiled in return. Vicki noted he wore a tunic covered by a golden breastplate and he wore golden bracers. As her eyes perused him, she noted he wore a gator with a golden sword dangling at his side. For all intents and purposes, Vicki felt she was viewing a Roman Gladiator. He stepped towards her and went down on one knee and tucked his chin, "I pay homage to thee my Lady Seraphim."

Vicki blinked and found her voice as she whispered almost hoarsely, "Excuse me? Who are you?" This was beginning to become very confusing and very upsetting to her and her equilibrium. He had taken her hand and laid his dry lips upon her knuckles in paying homage to her.

Keeping his chin tucked, "You are the new appointee, and I am your giver of power, you may call me Michael." His words were so soft and calming and she knew that there was a familiarity about him but it was one that had not been brought to her conscious thought until now as she stood and he knelt before her.

If Vicki was confused before, she was more so now peering down upon this angelic young warrior before her." Vicki went down on her knees and lifted his chin so she could peer into his eyes. There she saw a golden light, "What do you mean, the appointee?" She guided him to stand and waited for his answer. She did not have long to wait.

His words were again soft, lyrically sweet and hauntingly familiar to her. "Where there is darkness, there must be light, where there is evil, there must be absolute good. Where there is hate, there will be love. You are the appointed by birth to be the purveyor of all that is good, light, and love. You are the Seraphim that will protect the world against the evil that has escaped through a opening in hell." He smiled and his face glowed with the love of his life and he spoke again, "I am your spirit guide and protector that will help you and teach you what you must and will do to protect those you love and the unfortunates that reside on top of the hell's opening."

Vicki felt confused and lost. "You have passed over into darkness and soon you will be welcomed back into the light. The one you love shall finally see the light of day and be able to take his place at your side. You must live to protect those around you; Victoria Winters Collins; you are the new appointee, the new Lady Seraphim."

Vicki sighed deeply wondering why she had been selected; she was certainly no one special. "What will I be expected to do as the Lady Seraphim?" She needed answers and she had no idea of what he was speaking at this point of her new rebirth.

Michael laid a gentling hand on her elbow and guided her towards a door. One she had not seen before because of the heavy white fog. "In here holds the knowledge you will need. You will be what is considered in your time frame a white witch, or good witch. You will have access to this information when you need it. The only reason you are here now other than you have passed over only to be reborn is you have need of the knowledge of warding talisman. You and your husband need one to allow you to be reborn into the world of the living." Michael opened the door and Vicki was met with bookshelves upon bookshelves of tomes and books that appeared to have a golden glow about them.

Once again, Michael led her to a large tome and withdrew it for her. Laying it on a table that gave the appearance of just materializing in the room. Michael opened the book to the page entitled "Warding evil" Vicki instinctively looked at the page and ran her finger down the column to a passage entitled 'talisman'. Her gaze quickly scanned the instructions and without realizing it, she was preparing the appropriate concoction that had appeared before her on the table. She with meticulous care began to form and make a talisman for her and Barnabas. Michael smiled readily and stepped away from her. "When you are called to consciousness, you will give Barnabas his talisman. Once he has the talisman on him, he will be protected from the evil that has been tracking you since your departure from Collinsport."

Vicki once again had the sensation she was shifting away from the room filled with white circling fog and Michael. From a distance she could hear her husbands voice. "Vicki, my dearest Vicki, come back to me."

Vicki felt her throat grow dry and she tried to say his name. "Barna . . . " She could feel him stroking her hair from her face and she opened her eyes to peer into the eyes of her husband. Tears filled her eyes and she lifted her hand and ran tender fingertips through his hair and down his face. She had something clutched in her hand and she held it out to Barnabas. "My love, I meant to give you this once we got to our home. I wish you to wear this always, for me, you must promise me that you will wear this as a sign of your love for me."

Barnabas took the golden medallion hanging from a golden chain and put it over his head. Then he lifted her hand and kissed her fingers and gently dried her tears. "I was so worried about you my dearest love. I thought I had lost you in that car crash. I will gladly wear this trinket as a sign of our binding love. If it means that much to you, I shall always wear it."

She lifted the twin to his necklace from around her neck. "See they are alike, together forever and never apart as you shall be as my love." She lifted his hand and kissed it. "You must promise me to never take it off, you must wear it always."

She had grown so sincerely serious and driven that he should wear the odd looking coin around his neck that he kissed her fingertips and swore. "Nothing shall take it from my neck my love." Barnabas smiled. "I promise my dear. Tell me how do you feel?"

She looked at her bandaged arm and frowned then saw she was receiving whole blood by IV the same as her husband. "What happened?" Her concern real that she must have lost a lot of blood and so had Barnabas.

He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "We had an accident. I . . ." He could not bring himself to tell her that he had brought her over. He could not look her in the eye when he said. "The thought of losing you forever like Josette crushed me my love."

Vicki was feeling shocked and appalled he did not have to finish his sentence, she already knew, he had brought her over. She was now as he was a creature of the night. She felt her breath catch in her throat. Every fiber of her being did not want to hurt anyone or take a life to sustain her own. Oddly, she was confused as to how she was able to control the blood lust that surely should have over taken her body. "Why do I not have a hunger for . . ." she could not bring herself to say human blood.

From the doorway, Eric Lang had watched the touching scene between husband and wife, "Because like your husband you have been given a temporary treatment that curbs your need to seek human blood and aversion to sunlight. The whole blood transfusions you and your husband have received are taking care of your needs."

He stepped more fully into the room and paused by her bed to check her eyes and then listen with his stethoscope and he smiled. "Listen." He put the earpieces in her ears and allowed her to hear a slow steady heartbeat that was now resounding in her otherwise dead body. He then allowed Barnabas to hear his own heartbeat and then his wife's.

"How is this possible?" Barnabas was awe struck and joyous that he was almost human again. "This is a miracle! I do not understand Dr. Lang? Before when such a treatment began to have positive affects, it changed dramatically I was aged to what age I should be this day. I grew hideously old." He handed him back the object that allowed him to hear the functions of his body.

Vicki vaguely remembered him from earlier when she had seen him with the man she thought was Peter Bradford. "I saw you earlier with Peter Bradford." She spoke softly and was grateful she was not going to have to seek a source for blood.

"No, my dear; you saw me with Jeff Clark, unfortunately Mrs.. Clark did not survive the crash. However with your help and the help of your husband what I am about to propose is a permanent solution to your affliction. To abolish it completely if my research is correct. That being said, with your cooperation you both will bring back to life two that have died. We will transfer a portion of your life force into them thereby bringing them back to life and eliminating your curse or your condition forever."

From the open doorway, Julia Hoffman demanded. "And Eric what research would that be?" Julia forcefully marched her way in the room pushing past the nurse that had been blocking her entrance into Vicki's room to Barnabas and Vicki. "And by what right do you have to treat my patients? For that matter by what right do you offer them such an outlandish treatment and obviously insane notion that you can play god?"

"Julia!" Barnabas' voice was shocked but pleased to see her. He stood away from Vicki and faced her more fully. Julia could not help but notice that his color was almost normal and she did want to examine him. Victoria saw her walk with force into the room pause and look at Victoria. She nodded to Vicki and noticed she appeared unnaturally pale, frowning deeply she turned to Barnabas. "Julia how did you know we were here?"

Eric smiled, "As a professional courtesy I called Collinwood and told them to find Julia,. I knew she was your doctor. There could be no other doctor in this world that would know as much as you Julia about how to cure vampires?" Eric folded his arms over his chest and lifted his chin a form of a defiant move to see if she would deny what he had just said. Julia did not respond she just studied him under the fall of those overly made up eyelashes and then smiled tightly.

Eric titled his head; she was magnificent in her outrage and how well she was controlling her anger. He always knew when she was angry that lower full lip that had been made for kissing would start to tremble and she would draw her top teeth over her lip to prevent it from being noticed. He had noticed everything about her from college and then she disappeared and he lost track of her. He smiled slid his hip on the edge of Victoria's bed and folded his arms over his chest and continued with his thought. "Oh I remember your dissertation and your proposal at medical school and how you were laughed out of the hall that day Julia, surely this was not a surprise to you."

Julia turned and spoke with more harshness than she had intended, "Any more ridiculous than your paper or did I not read it right the reanimation of dead bodies by electrical current. How Mary Shelly of you Eric," She walked to the window and frowned, noting the shades were not secure. "You do realize he is at risk if this shade were to be pulled up?" She spun around and saw Barnabas look at her with a quirk of his brow. All of this posturing was now revealing what he and Victoria were. He was concerned did she not realize how dangerous it was to them both that she was revealing what they were to a virtual stranger to them but obviously but apparently not to Julia.

Eric walked to the blind and tugged on it and when he let it go the blind went up and the reaction was instantaneous for them all. Barnabas cried out, "NO!" Barnabas ducked his head, covered his eyes and threw his body over Victoria.

Julia's reaction was "ERIC! NO!" She tried to grapple with the shade and turned in horror then shock to see Barnabas covering Victoria and then it became obvious to her he had changed her over and now he was protecting her from the sunlight.

Eric calmly walked past Julia in hysterics and to the bed where Victoria laid and pulled Barnabas from his wife's body and turned him to face the sunlight. "Please Mr. Collins you really have nothing to fear as long as you have my serum in your system. Unlike the formula that Julia used, mine will not age you and it will not cause you damage and you can face the sun."

In shocked amazement Barnabas walked slowly to the window to look at the sunlight that lay blindingly over the sun washed island of Martinique. The vibrant colors just as he had remembered from so long ago were in evidence to his astonished gaze. "How … how is this possible?" He said with a look of wonder and awe filling his body. He turned to look at Victoria who was completely unaware of how close she had come to living a life as he had for so long and to feel the pains of need for blood.

Julia turned her accusing gaze on Eric, "YOU stole my formula and perfected it?" She folded her arms over her chest and waited for a response. She was doing a slow jealous fume over the fact one of her rivals had found a better solution to the problem she had only surmised and presumed she could cure.

Eric smiled and to Julia it was as if he were mocking her. "My dear Julia, I just changed one component of what you had already put in place, by changing that one element as you can see Mr. Collins and his lovely wife are able to tolerate the sunlight so much more. Unfortunately, and this is not the place that we should discuss this; it is only temporary which is what your serum would have been. Now my dear if you will follow me we shall leave Mr. and Mrs. Collins to their time together." Eric stood up and walked to Julia and put an arm around her to guide her out of Victoria's room.

Barnabas turned to Victoria and lifted her hand to his lips and gently with tenderness kissed her fingertips. "My darling Victoria, do you forgive me for doing this to you?" He looked at her with infinite sadness in his gaze and waited for her answer. He watched the myriad of emotions run over her features. She did as she always did when she was ready to capitulate to his needs or demands. She smiled with that half smile and looked at their hands interlocked.

"Yes, I forgive you this time my love, I know had you any other way to save me from that horrible accident you would have done it. So, I suppose I owe you my life and that would have been a sad end to our wedded life together had I died like poor Danielle. I feel so sorry for Mr. Clark loosing his wife like that, she told me they had just recently married and they were going to settle here with Dr. Lang."

Barnabas smiled sadly, "Yes, I found her to be very charming and very sweet to you. For which, I will be forever grateful that she was generous to you and very caring." He took her fingers and laced his fingers through hers and lifted her hand to kiss the back. Placing his warm lips against her hand he looked into her eyes and in that moment Victoria knew he loved her for being her and not being Josette.

"Barnabas, are you disappointed that I am not Josette? That I am just Victoria Winters?" She was feeling insecure a lot of what had happened was becoming more prominent in her mind as she thought about them together since her return from the past. She looked with some degree of insecurity to her husband and watched the various emotions drift over his face and finally he smiled and looked her in the eye.

"Victoria, there is no other I would wish to share my life with in this time than you. You and Josette are very much a like in so many respects. She as you know was gentle and loving, she had so many fine qualities that when I met you and I wish I could take you back to that day I met you, I saw in you all that was Josette that I lost to my Uncle Jeremiah. It was a devastating time for me. You were there you saw and heard it all during those trying times and then there was Angelique." He lowers his chin and he gaze to their locked fingers.

"She was evil Barnabas, you know how evil she was and she wanted only to be with you and she hurt a lot of people including me. I am not so quick to forgive her and I don't think you should be either." Vicki smiled sadly then looks at her husband and taking her fingertips and brushed his hair from his forehead. She smiles. "I like your hair like that." She closed her eyes and felt her body drifting off to sleep with a feeling of security now she was with her husband sitting with her as she slept.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Collinwood Roger's bedroom

Cassandra paced the floor of her and Roger's room she was frustrated and angry. Why could she not see where Barnabas was or that he was suffering over the loss of his dear Victoria? The thought of him with her turned her stomach sour and her need for revenge filled her. "Where are you?" She hissed turning to look into the mirror that did not show her anything but her own reflection. Turning to the sound of the door opening and the change in the pressure of the room, she forced a fake smile on her lips when Roger entered the room. "Darling, are you not coming down to the Drawing Room, it would appear Elizabeth has some exciting news to share with us."

"Oh really?" She forced gaiety into her voice when she did not feel it and was hiding her frustration well from Roger.

"Yes, darling, it would seem that she has heard from Victoria and Barnabas and they may be return shortly." Roger walked to the small settee that graced the end of his bed, sitting to cross his right leg over his left knee. Expressively, he waves his hand about as he continued with his revelation. "It would seem that Julia was called to Martinique because Barnabas and Victoria were involved in an accident. Apparently, a Dr. Lang was there and was able to heal them both." Roger was thrilled to hear that his cousin and Vicki were fine. He failed to notice his news had caused his wife more than a little irritation, enough she had paced furiously to the window to put her back to Roger.

Her lips tight, her anger growing she snapped, "OH really!" Catching herself with her irritation she turned back to Roger and forced a tight smile. "So when may we expect the happy couple's return?"

Roger sighed, "Well my dear they did have a serious accident and they are obviously healing but to know they are fine and will be returning is exciting news in itself. Surely, Julia will return before the happy couple." He smiled and thought a moment, "Two weddings nearly at the same time, we will have a lot to celebrate upon their return."

Cassandra turned her back on Roger again and folded her arms over her chest. "I am so sure we will all be happy and excited at the return of the prodigal cousin and his new bride." She could not help the biting sarcasm that filled her with the thought of Victoria being married to Barnabas, what annoyed her more was she could not have seen this to do something about it. However, later she would direct something wicked their way. Forcing a smile to her lips she turned, "Well shall we go and see your sister in the drawing room?" She walked stiffly to the door.

Martinique, Dr. Lang's laboratory

The room held pungent smells of chlorophyll and antiseptic concoctions that Lang had used to prepare the bodies. On one table laid Danielle's body, her face frozen in a cold but beautiful restful pose, while next to it was an empty gurney covered with a sheet. On another table lay a covered body from the shape and size, Victoria surmised it was a male body. When Lang moved the gurney a massive arm fell out from under the covered cloth. Victoria closed her eyes, she could see scares of where the body had been pieced together at the shoulder. Next to his gurney was another empty table awaiting what she assumed would be Barnabas.

"Perhaps Mr. Collins you would like to go first?" Eric looked up in time to see Julia enter the lab, from the look on her face, Eric knew she did not approve but was resigned to allow this procedure to proceed. "Mr. Collins?" Eric Lang was waiting for Barnabas to join him on the empty table. "Julia, would you care to assist Mrs. Collins on her table?" Eric turned that gaze on Julia as more of a challenge than a request.

"I will be happy to. However, do you plan to sedate them from what obviously will be a very painful transference through electrical impulse?" Julia walked to Victoria's side and smiled, "I am going to be here through this all with you and Barnabas Vicki, do not worry I will not leave you alone, that I promise." He helped Victoria onto the table and strapped her wrists and ankles leaving the straps that would go over her chest and stomach for Eric to secure.

"Julia I am afraid." Vicki looked from her turning her head and straining her neck to see her husband now lying on the table next to the man. "Please don't leave me. "Vicki smiled bravely but her eyes were filled with her fear.

"I am here Vicki, not to worry." Julia gently pulled the black rubber wide band over her forehead and secured it to the grounded attachment on the table. "You relax my dear and I promise when this is over you will be as you were." Julia could see the fangs that were beginning to over take Vicki's canines and this frightened Julia. That meant the serum was not working as well as Eric had hoped. Patting Vicki's arm she glanced over to see Eric in the process of securing Barnabas to the table.

"I will not give them a sedative but I need to inoculate them with the serum that will insulate their bodies against damage by the current being infused into their bodies." Eric nodded to the two IV bottles on the counter, "If you will hang the IV and run the tubing to the needles and insert them, I can do the same for the bodies they are bringing back to life."

The mere mention by Eric of bringing back the dead, which was something that made Julia's skin, crawl. However, the intellectual part of Julia knew that this was history in the making and she was oddly fascinated by what was about to happen. She carefully inserted the IV needle into Victoria's vein on her left arm. She watched Eric secure Victoria with her straps over her chest and over her hips. He smiled while looking into her eyes. Eric had to admit she was beautiful, and he could easily see why Barnabas Collins had fallen in love with her and was willing to protect her no matter what. "Okay, I think we are about ready . . . " He turned to see that Julia had made quick work of placing IV's in Danielle's vein, the large man's vein, and Barnabas' vein. "Now, I shall do this in two phases."

Eric walked to a panel on the wall, smiling he turned and said, "We will precede with Mr. Collins first, then you Mrs. Collins. I will place this cap on your head, and then on Danielle's. This will be done after I do this for your husband and Mr. Adams."

Finally, the body under the cover had a name. Victoria thought it was sad that Mr. Adams, which ironically being brought back to life. The name seemed appropriate that he should be called Adam or Adams, who would live again as the first reanimated man. She just prayed silently that he would absorb Barnabas' curse allowing him a normal life as her husband at her side. "Dr. Lang, is it possible we could die in this experiment? Because if that is the case, take me first." Vicki's plea struck chord with Eric and he smiled.

"No my dear not die, but live a normal life, have children with your husband, and grow old together and die together, you will be with him for an eternity." He gently stroked her soft cheek and looked deeply into her intense gaze. "Just know I will allow nothing to happen to you." He stopped himself from placing a tender kiss on her forehead; he allowed his fingers to gently stroke the worry lines from her forehead. "We will take Mr. Collins first and then you my dear now relax and let the medication flowing in your veins to calm you."

Vicki nodded her head and forced a brave smile upon her lips, closing her eyes she allowed the feeling of a surreal reality to over take her consciousness. Drifting off on a sea of serenity. She was not aware of when Eric threw the switches sending powerful currents into the body of her husband, and Mr. Adams. Both bodies jerked, and Barnabas screamed out in horrendous pain as he felt his whole being ripped apart and put back together. The pain was so intense he actually passed out and wet himself. The loss of so much control over his body was a new experience. When the machine was powered down, Julia ran to Barnabas' side and took his pulse and checked for a heartbeat, she smiled his heart was beating. Something she was not sure would have happened unless he had undergone this procedure.

Eric had swiftly walked to Adam's side and checked for a heartbeat and smiled, there was a heartbeat and now on the monitor it showed Adam had brain activity too. "Quickly Julia get me that large syringe on the table behind you." He waited for her to hand him the syringe, Eric plunged it into the creature's heart and depressed the plunger and the heartbeat grew stronger. "Now we must get ready to do Victoria!" He wheeled his two patients over to another room, came back and settled Vicki and Danielle in place. "Now as we did before, let us do this!"

Eric moved quickly to put the caps on Vicki's head and on Danielle's head. Waiting for the power to climb Eric studied Victoria and Danielle on the gurneys, preparing to raise the levers he nodded to Julia to stand back, which she did. Throwing the first lever he watched as Victoria arched her back, and her mouth open to scream out in pain, but the pain was so intense she could vocalize what she was feeling, her voice had been taken from her in that moment of unbearable and nightmarish pain. The spasm of Vicki's body alarmed Julia and she rushed forward, "NO JULIA DON'T TOUCH HER!" Eric turned and threw the other switch. Once again Vicki's body stiffened and her back arched and then she collapsed on the bed, and as Barnabas had done she soiled herself with the loss of control of her body.

When the power slowly abated Julia ran to Vicki's side and checked her, she was not breathing and her heart was not beating. "Eric, she is not breathing her heart is not beating! Give me some adrenalin!" Julia was angrily shouting out her instructions. While Eric was busy grabbing the syringes filled with adrenalin. Julia grabbed them from his hand and plunged them directly into her heart depressing the plunger.

Eric grabbed the defibrillator shoving it to the bed. Sliding the wooden board under Vicki he looked at Julia, "Stand back now!" Turning on the machine, he waited for the high pitch tone to tell him the paddles were ready for application. Laying then on Vicki's chest and side he depressed the paddles and it sent a shock of electricity through her body. Grabbing his stethoscope he listened intently for heart tone. He smiled. "Its beating, quickly give me the blue capped syringe on the table." Julia turned grabbed and handed it to him. She watched anxiously as he depressed the plunger, sending the life giving fluid into Vicki's heart.

Turning quickly he went to Danielle and noted her skin tone was flush with flood flowing through her veins, her eyes were moving under her closed lids and this indicated brainwaves and she was in rim sleep. "Danielle is alive, she is in RIM, and would you go into the hallway and tell Jeff he may come in to be with his wife, I suspect she will be coming out of her unconscious state shortly." He wanted Julia out of the room. He watched her leave and Eric leaned over Vicki and whispered, "You will be the mother of a new race. I did not cure totally but you will not crave blood, you will be for all intent and purposes human only in the form of a day walker and as long as you come to me you will not have to seek a blood source." He gently stroked her hair from her brow. "You will need me Victoria, you will always need me."

From the open doorway Jeff Clark frowned looking at Lang, "Get away from her you bastard, you have no right to do that to her. She did nothing to warrant that from you." Clark's voice was soft and more of a guttural threatening growl. Eric Lang turned with a half smirk on his face.

Turning his back on Victoria he cocked his head and spoke softly, "What do you think you can do about it Jeff? If memory serves me correctly; I believe your wife needs your attention now, go to her. Leave Mrs. Collins to me." He watched Jeff with a superior attitude of one that had the upper hand in the situation. "You really do not want me to send you back to that mental hospital in New York do you?" He watched Jeff's body go from a stiff back challenge to folding with slumped shoulders, dropping his chin he walked to Danielle's bed and laid his hands on the steering for the gurney.

"I am going to take her to recovery, Dr. Hoffman is coming right back." He muttered and pushed his wife's cart to the recovery room. Jeff passed Julia on her way back in, "Don't leave him alone with her, she is in danger around him." Jeff spoke cryptically to Julia.

Disguising her concern she acknowledged his comment with a curt nod and a softly uttered "Thank you, we will talk later." Allowing him to pass her; Julia walked to Vicki's side and grabbed a stethoscope. Placing the end to Vicki's chest, she bent over and listened intently to the heart beating in her chest "Normal sinus rhythm. So, how about Mr. Adams success of failure?" Julia stood up and watched Eric trying to figure out what exactly he was up to and what he was planning for Vicki. Obviously there was something amiss otherwise Clark would not have felt compelled to speak with her so cryptically and softly when she had entered the room.

"I suppose we could go and see how both he and Mr. Collins is doing unless you wish to stay with Mrs. Collins?" Eric had seen the brief exchange between Jeff Clark and Julia when she had entered the room and he was curious as to what might have been said between them. Hoping Julia might be forthcoming he did ask. "What did Clark say to you when you entered the room Julia?'

"Oh, noting in particular that he was taking his wife to the recovery room and I might want to check on Vicki. He seemed concerned for her well being. I take it you and he are not on the best of terms?" Julia cocked her head and leveled her gaze right into Eric's eyes. She watched him fidget slightly and drop his gaze.

"He does not like me Julia, he feels I have trapped him and his wife into servitude to me. Danielle is more sympathetic to me then Jeff, he has a lot of emotional problems and would have been a good candidate for your Wyndcliff. He was found wandering the streets in New York, with no memory of where he came from or for that matter what he might have done, he was covered in blood and they thought he was an escaped dangerous mental patient, I agreed to take him and he when he met Danielle my housekeeper the attraction was immediate." Eric was playing off the relationship in a glib manner, which made Julia all the more suspicious of his actions.

"I see, so would you suggest I have a session with him, to test him?" Julia was not putting Eric on notice that she did not trust him or Jeff Clark. She covered Vicki and turned to prepare to wheel her from the room, she did not want her waking up in her, if anything she would have preferred her to be waking up in a bed away from this godless place. "You won't mind if I take her and Barnabas back to the DuPres Plantation would you? It is ready for them to occupy the house and I am sure it would be better for her to be in more serene surroundings?"

Eric smiled. "Of course not Julia by all means Mr. Collins will be recovered in about an hour, by then we will get him and Mrs. Collins in the car and you may take them home so they are more comfortable, they will need these injections twice a day for the next two weeks but for the most part, they will be fine." He smiled and it was that smile that set Julia's nerves on edge.

Julia nodded, "Thank you Eric, if you will send the injections to the DuPres Plantation I will see they are given in a timely fashion." Her intentions were to get a sample of the serum and have it tested to see what Eric was injecting in both Victoria and Barnabas. She did not trust him.

If Julia's distrust of Eric was apparent, Eric's distrust of what Julia would do was also present in his response. "Julia I must make it up each day from a fresh batch, so I am afraid I will need to come to the Plantation to administer it myself. " His smile was if anything slick and tight. She tightened her own smile and cocked her head studying his body language. Everything in her shouted out that something was amiss. "You know Julia we don't have to be on opposite ends of this venture, you and I both had a rough time in college. Why not become my partner? Better yet, why not accept my proposal of marriage."

He had thrown her for a loop the last thing she expected was to hear him propose marriage to her. She was taken aback. "Are you serious Eric? Marriage?" She turned to walk to the table and saw a used syringe that still held some of the serum in it, deftly she palmed it and hid it in her lab coat pocket. "I never thought about marriage before and now you are offering marriage to me why?" She turned and folded her arms over her chest, crossing her legs at her ankles. "Are you telling me you have some undying passion that you have held for me all these years since college?"

Eric laughed, "Julia you are a beautiful, intelligent woman with a gift that is so extraordinary that it boggles the mind. I would be a fool not to have some emotions tied up in what I think of you or know of you. We are both alike we would make wonderful partners in medicine and marriage." Eric opened his arms expressively and now that smile had become charming and hopefully for his benefit enough to make her believe him. "Just think of what we could accomplish together Julia. The accolades we could garner together. All you to do is say yes to my proposal."

Julia was if anything shrewd enough to want to think about this proposal. She smiled dropped her arms. "Would you mind if I had time to think it over?" She watched him approach her to place his hands on her slender shoulders; gently he tipped her chin up to peer into her eyes.

"Julia I would wait a lifetime for you to decide, I have admired you from the time we clashed in college to that magnificent display you did when you first entered my clinic to defend Mr. and Mrs. Collins. I would be a fool to ignore my feelings for you and it would be a wonderful partnership, so yes I can wait. I did kind of spring it on you last minute." He smile bent to brush his dry lips over hers and then stepped back. "The spark in those eyes and that assured way you tilt your head when you feel challenged, of course I will give you time."

A soft moan from Vicki alerted them both she was starting to recover and it was time to get her out of the room and into her clothing so Julia could take her home to the DuPres Plantation. "Thank you Eric, now shall we?" Together they maneuvered Vicki's bed to the recovery room where Jeff stood by Danielle's side holding her hand and watching for her to awaken.

"You know Clark, you are welcome. I brought your wife back to you." Eric walked to Danielle's bed and checked her eyes, and her heart then her pulse, "Good and strong, you can take her to your rooms." He walked to the huge man lying under the sheet and he checked him. "He is breathing, he has brainwave activity and his heart beat is strong. I think we need to get him to a room and in a bed. When he awakens we are not sure how he will react."

Barnabas had opened his eyes and began to push himself up into a sitting position. Julia turned to help him sit up. "Barnabas we are going to get you and Vicki home. You will be more comfortable in your own surroundings."

"Julia how is Vicki? Is she all right? Was the transference successful for her?"

"Yes, she is resting now and I want to get her dressed and get her home so you both will feel secure in your surroundings. Eric is going to come over every day to give you both injections for the next two weeks." Julia helped him to stand and then brought his clothing to him. "You might want to go in there and get dressed. While you are dressing I will get Vicki dressed and then I will bring the car around. Are you sure you are going to be able to stand and walk on your own?" Julia's concern for her friend was obvious and it ignited a little jealousy in Eric watching how she fondly fussed over him.

"I am fine Julia, I am concerned for Victoria. You are sure she is not harmed, what I went through was horrific and if she had to endure what I did, I am worried for her well-being."

"She is fine Mr. Collins, she will be a little sore and we had a minor problem with her recovering afterwards and she did sustain a shock to her heart but otherwise she is perfectly fine. She may have some residual after affects, that is why I will need to come by and administer the serum for the next two weeks until her body and your body adjusts to what you have just gone through." It sounded reasonable and Barnabas not in his right mind at the moment merely nodded.

"I see well if you will excuse me." He stepped forward and staggered slightly. "Something I am not used to, I do wish to clean up, it seems that I have embarrassed myself." He was speaking of having urinated on his body while going through the transference. "Is there a shower that I might avail myself of Dr. Lang?"

"Of course Mr. Collins here, allow me to help you to the shower and you can dress we will let Julia attend your wife." He helped Barnabas from the room. As soon as they were gone Julia rushed to the lab and found the serum and took a sample, turning to pocket it with the other sample she had she smiled. She was going to find out what Eric Lang was up to one way or another.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Danielle laid on her back, her head facing the ceiling, her eyes closed and her body stiff. Jeff held her hand and kissed her knuckles. "Wake up Danni, wake up. I am here for you Danni, I will always be here for you." The words he said rang hallow and ever since he saw Victoria Winters lying so pale and lifeless on that table, that was all he could think of, her thick dark hair fanned out around her head, her soft supple breasts perky and crying out to be kissed. He looked at her lips and was wondering what it could feel like ot place is lips on hers. He smiled at the thought.

Sitting on the stool next to Danielle's bed, he cupped her hand to his mad felt her fingers tighten, that interrupted his thoughts and he turned his gaze to Danielle's face. Her eyelashes fluttered and then she opened her eyes wide and then her mouth and she screamed and it echoed and reacted around the room. Erick and Julia burst into the room rushing to Danielle's side, Lang shoved Jeff aside while Julia began to take Danni's blood pressure and Eric began to listen to Danielle's heart and check her eyes. "What are you doing Dr. Lang?" Danielle's voice held a hallow unemotional tone.

"I am checking you for your vitals. Making sure you are all right." Eric said this with a hint of compassion but with a doctor's medical assessment.

"I see,so what does this mean that I died?" Again there was that deep throaty calm almost emotionless tone.

"Why not tell me what you remember." Julia Hoffman was fascinated she needed to know what happened once you died, she had hoped there was a higher plane of existence she just wanted to verify it and she and Eric were to win the Nobel Prize she needed all the information she could get to write about the experience.

Danielle's brow furrowed, her eyes went distant and then she began to remember. "The road was almost washed out, the driver hydroplaned off the roadway and then from above there was this terrible moaning sound and a loud crack like gun fire. I thought it was the thunder close to the ground which almost sounded like cannon fire, then again that moaning sound and another crack, the next thing I know a huge tree was crashing down on the car and I heard Mrs. Collins . . . " Danielle grabbed Eric's upper arm and she half sat up. "Mrs. Collins! Is she harmed?"

Eric patted her arm and let Julia help Danielle to lie back down, and then the two doctors, lifted her back of the gurney to get her in a sitting upright position, "is that more comfortable Danni?" Eric smiled, but somehow the compassion and joy a smile represents did not reach Eric's eyes and this was everything Julia was observing while she covered Danni's body with the sheet.

'Yes, thank you." Danni's voice went soft. She even managed to offer Julia a genuine smile, something that Eric had not given her. "I am glad to hear that, you know I think Mr. Collins is not human? I think he is some kind of night creature that is," Here she shivered, " . . . well taking advantage of her."

Julia frowned, "What makes you think that?" The question was automatic and a way of her life since she had started trying to cure Bananas.

Eric curtailed that answer. "Danni, what else do you remember, we can deal with this other later, tell us what you last remember before waking up."

Danni smiled, "it was after the tree fell on the car and I heard Mrs. Collins scram and Mr. Collins scream for Mrs. Collins, there as blackness and then a floating sensation. There were voices around me. They whispered and moaned, and some screamed." Danni shivered.

"Go on," Eric encouraged her to continue on with what he journey to death was like. Julia was locked to every word she had spoken at this poit and had to wonder if she had been facing her walk to hell. She was always of a scientific thought that there was nothing but the end or an ascension to a higher plane of existence and the fact that once Danni's life had ended she was now describing walking on that plane.

"There were other things like I could smell something over powering and very strong like burning flesh or burning smell of rubber or tires. The smell was over powering and I could hear chanting." Danni gasped, grabbed Eric's arm.

"it was like hell, or what I think hell should appear. However, there was another voice so calming and so reassuring that it made me feel safe." She said the word safe with a degree of awe. "The voice was reassuring and I felt a hand touch mine, and it said, 'Follow me. You do not need to walk this path any longer.' So, I followed, I wanted to follow." Danni looked into Eric's eyes and said softly, "That is a path y ou are following Eric, playing God. You don't have that right." She reached forward and began to cling tightly to Eric, her strength superhuman and her eyes glowing with the intensity of her words.

"You need to stop, she said you are traveling that road and when I came back, that I should tell you that, you need to know what you are doing is wrong!" Her hold was so tight that Eric feared she would break his arms.

"Julia a sedative, hurry, she is hurting me!" Eric pleaded with his eyes wide and his face suffusing red with his fear and her exerting so much pressure on him.

Julia scrambled to get a sedative and injected it into Danielle's hip. Dani tightened her hold, her eyes flew open and then she collapsed back against the bed and was asleep under the influence of the sedative she had just been given. "Thank you Julia." Eric rubbed his arms to bring the circulation back into them. The pressure now gone he could feel his hands begin to tingle with the flush of blood back into his hands. "My God! That was incredible. She had such super human strength, she was like a super woman, if she can do this from the powers of a fledgling vampire, can you imagine what Adam has in him?"

Julia realized he had said Adam's name just as Eric remembered he had not checked on Adam. Both left Danni to sleep and rushed down the hallway. It was too late, the huge mammoth man was nowhere to be seen in the room, he was gone. "We have to find him Julia and be careful because Adam has been gone longer than Danni he very well maybe in his mentally amorphous state. Which means we are dealing with a new born or similar in mind but not body of a new born."

Julia nodded, "Should I check the floors upstairs?

"No, I need you to check all the rooms down here and there are a total of twelve."

Julia nodded, "I am going to check on Mrs. Clark first, may I allow Jeff with her?"

"Yes, by all means let Jeff have some time with her, she seems to keep him calm."

Eric left to go check the rest of the house, while Julia walked down the hallway to check on Danielle, there she found Jeff unconscious on the floor. Julia rushed to his side. "Clark!" dropping down to check his pulse and for breathing, Danielle moaned softly.

"Jeff? Jeff are you there my darling Jeff?" Julia patted Jeff's face, then glanced up to see that Danielle had already fought off the sedative, which had been a powerful one.

Julia stood up and walked to Danni's side. "Mrs. Clark, lie back and I will get Jeff for you."

"Adam came in and he hit Jeff and ran down the hallway is Jeff all right?"

Julia looked at Jeff lying on the floor the most he might have would be a concussion and she would not be able to determine that until he had an x-ray. "Where did he go Danielle, what direction did he go?"

Danni was almost hysterical. "He killed Jeff didn't he?" She tried to sit up but the sedative had done its job in immobilizing her. Jeff rolled over put his hand to his head and moaned. Julia rushed to his side and helped him to stand and then put him in a chair.

"Mr. Clark, you sit here with your wife, while I go look for Adam. Do not move you might have a concussion, stay with Mrs. Clark." Julia pushed him to lean forward on Danni's bed. Turning Julia rushed to the hallway and looked right then looked left hearing another moan, Julia rushed down the hallway and found Barnabas lying on the floor.

"Julia, that thing has Vicki, he shoved me down and took off with Vicki, you need to go find them, we need to stop him before he hurts her."

Julia was concerned for the condition she had found Barnabas, she had never seen him so weak and now afraid if not concerned. "Barnabas let me help you up and then I will go find Vicki and Adam." Julia helped Barnabas to a chair. "Sit still and I will be back I got to get Eric."

Julia's adrenalin was on overdrive as she dashed down the hallway to the stairs, opened the door and shouted. "ERIC! I NEED YOUR HELP!" She could hear a struggle going on upstairs and she turned, rushed to the lab, filled a hypodermic and then rushed back to the hallway and upstairs. What met her gaze at the top of the stairs sent her into over protective hyper mode.

Lying on the floor was Vicki, wrapped like a burrito in a blanket, Adam was struggling with a now losing Eric overpowering him, Julia rushed forward took the needle and jabbed it into the huge monster like creature, that was dressed in scrub pants and a gown. Pressing the plunger on the hypodermic it released the heavy sedation into the body of the now alive man made monster that was known as Adam.

Adam felt the pain of the needle as it entered his hip and he screamed and let Eric go, then swung his arm at the woman that had caused him pain. Julia flew backwards against the wall hit it and then slumped down on the floor, Eric lay on the floor holding his throat. Adam turned lifted Vicki and staggered out the front door of Eric's home and clinic.

Julia was winded and dazed, Eric crawled ot her side and pushed himself up to examine her to make sure she was only winded. "Are you hurt?'

"No," She gasped out between the painful breaths she was trying to expel and inhale. "We need to get them back." Julia was finding her lungs were working again and she tried to help Eric stand. Together they looked from one to the another and the front door. "I need to change and you should too Julia they can be anywhere and they are seen we will have a big problem too, I am not sure how I can explain a man that has been made out of body parts carrying a woman that is now somewhat allergic to daylight without her injections."

Julia glowered, "What are you talking about Eric, what does that mean?"

"It means the procedure also requires them to have a portion of your formula and a portion of my formula for them to maintain their status as human that is what it means."

Barnabas stood against the door jam he watched the two in the living room. "So you are saying we are not completely cured?"

"I am saying that what happened ties you both together. Barnabas, you will feel the fear and confusion that Adam feels and if he dies you will revert back to what you were and if you die, he will die. You however will come back as a vampire." Eric was rubbing his head and watching the clouded look cover Julia's face.

"And this is the same for Victoria with Mrs. Clark?" Barnabas was reconsidering what he would have done had he known this before hand.

"Yes, now we need to find your fine and my Adam, are you well enough to join us?"

Barnabas looked dubiously to the daylight and backed up. "What happens when I go into the daylight?'

"Your eyes will need to be protected until you get use to being in daylight again, so I would suggest sunglasses and I have some here, do you want to help me track Adam and find your wife or not?"

Barnabas nodded, "Just allow me to dress."

DuPres Plantation

Vicki felt like a mac truck had hit her, every muscle in her whole body screamed out in pain. Moaning softly she shifted her position and grimaced, then opened her eyes to the waning daylight. Looking the room over she found it was a pleasant room filled with beautifully preserved old pieces of furniture. Pushing herself up on her elbows she looked around and smiled, this was like Josette's room back in the old house. The soft whirring of the palm frond ceiling fan wafted the exotic smells over the room, and the breeze from the trade winds sent the curtains dancing against the floor. "Oh, this must be Josette's old home. Barnabas are you there?"

A large dark figure loomed up from out of the shadows and startled Vicki to the point she gasped and drew her hand up to her mouth. "Unngggh" The badly scared man was frightening to look at, except for Vicki he seemed to be a man-child. From the way he grunted and appeared to not be threatening to her and kept gesturing she had seen this in autistic children in New York where she taught before coming to Collinwood. Not feeling threatened by him just finding it hard to look at his horribly scared face she calmed her breathing and smiled.

"Hello, my name is Vicki, can you say Vicki?"

The man tilted his head smiled and said in effort. "V ick ee" He watched her smile and nod.

"That is right and you must be Adam?" She pointed to him and said softly, "Can you say Adam?"

He pointed a finger in Vicki's direction and said, "Ad am?" she laughed and he smiled, he liked the sound of her laughter, so much was running through his mind and he was no longer afraid while in her company. If anything he felt close to her. Various words were beginning to come to mind and he said softly in his deep baritone voice, "Mother?" With those words came images and thoughts that were familiar and unfamiliar.

Vicki shook her head no, "I am Vicki, not mother." She reached her hand for his face and saw him recoil in fear and she frowned and appeared to be sorry for frightening him. "I am sorry Adam?" Then it dawned on her this was the body that had been under the sheet that was to received a part of Barnabas' life force. "Oh you are Mr. Adams. Not Adam?" She realized he must be learning all over and her being a teacher came to her naturally. Folding her hands in her lap she smiled.

"Please sit Adam, and lets try to talk with one another and maybe I can teach you." Her words were soft and soothing and it struck a chord with Adam and he smiled and turned to look around, Vicki pointed to the chair, and seeing his confusion tried to stand to find she was still weak and started to fall forward,

Adam's reaction was immediate. He scooped her up and said tenderly, "Mother careful." He gently laid her on the bed and hovered over her for a moment.

"Adam, a chair, get a chair and bring it over by the bed, and let 'mother' teach you something. You are a smart man you can start to relearn and I am a teacher, you can learn from me, now see the chair?" she pointed to the chair and he smiled and walked to it. "Pick it up and bring it to the side of the bed." Adam lifted the chair picked it up and carried it to the side of the bed. "Very good Adam, now sit the chair down." He did as he was instructed. "Now sit on the chair." His confusion was only momentary and then he did as she instructed.

"Very good Adam, now lets start with basics."

Lang's Home

Eric Lang was beside himself, he had lost his biggest accomplishment in the span of a half an hour and now he was worried he would be discovered, this could be a disaster and his whole career, for that matter his whole life was about to disappear behind some cold grey bars or in a grave. On the island they did not bury a body, the chucked you into the ocean and you became seafood for the predators and the thought of that spurred him on to find Adam. He watched Julia attend Danielle with Clark standing by his wife, with an occasional glare in his direction.

"Clark, why are you not out looking for Adam?" Eric snapped, pausing for a moment to shoot a warning glare.

"I will go when Dr. Hoffman says Danni is going to be fine."

"Well with each minute you waste when she is in competent hands is another minute we all face judgment from this island if he is discovered." Eric shot back with more anger than he intended.

"You face judgment, Doctor Lang, you face judgment for what you have done you should face judgment." Jeff was angry enough to finally say how he felt and why he felt that way towards Eric Lang.

"We all face it Clark, you are an accessory after the fact."

Jeff left his wife's side and walked with the force of his irritation and anger towards Eric Lang. "I was forced into this by you, this is all your doing and you will face it and if I have to do some jail time or prison so be it. It would be worth it to get someone like you locked up."

"Jeff, please, just do as he says, don't fight with him, go find that creature, that poor creature that did not deserve to be here let alone probably hunted like some horrible monster by ignorant people, just don't fight. I am so tired. I just want to rest and I can't as long as I know Adam is gone and so is Mrs. Collins."

Jeff capitulated and sighed letting the tension out of his body. "I am going but you had better be thinking of a way to get him under control, obviously a strong sedative did not work." Clark marched out of the room leaving Eric to watch him leave with a look of pure hatred crossing his features.

Eric jumped when he felt pressure on his shoulder, Barnabas had laid his hand on his shoulder and now Barnabas spoke softly, "Come Dr. Lang, let us go upstairs allow Julia to help Mrs. Clark and we will try and figur3e out where he might have gone. I need to understand that happened between Adam and me in order to understand my own feelings I am having at this moment."

Danni looked confused and oddly simpatico with what Barnabas had said. "I have odd feelings too, nurturing ones that are oddly filled with compassion and concern."

Eric laughed, "That is it, you both are tied to the other two, perhaps by your telling me what is going on we might be able to entice them to come back here." Eric turned to Barnabas, "I am going to get a wheel chair and then we will get Danielle upstairs. By possibly having the two of you work together we can get them to come back here where its safe."

DuPres Planation

Vicki was feeling exhausted again, and the need to close her eyes and sleep was overtaking her to the point that Adam shook his head. "Mother you sleep, Adam sleep." He spoke with a hesitation of one learning to use words.

Vicki nodded, "I will sleep Adam we both need to rest we have been through a lot, why you and I both were in some way reborn today. So you sit and rest and I will sleep." Vick laid her head back on her pillow and closed her eyes, it did not take long until she was fast asleep and tumbling through a world of confusion and fear. The darkness weaved its way around her body clinging in a dampness that was like a fog. There were whispering voices floating around her and she was sure she recognized two of those voices.

The first and foremost was Barnabas's voice, he was looking for her and he was in a panic. "My Darling, where are you?"

"Mrs. Collins where are you?" Danni's voice was filled with worry and concerned, while Barnabas' voice was filled with the tenderness that was a part of the love he held for her.

She tried to call to them, they did not seem to hear her call. She was slowly becoming frustrated with the barrier that appeared to separate them. Finally in tearful frustration she slumped to her knees and began to weep, "Please I don't know where I am, it seems like Josette's Room only on an island."

Danielle's voice called, "Are you alone?"

"No, I am with Adam he brought me here."

Lang's Home

Danielle and Barnabas' eyes flew open, "She is at the DuPres Plantation in Josette's old room." Barnabas was up from his chair and felt the momentary weakness flood over him. He sat quickly.

"Sit Mr. Collins, sit and I will get Clark and we will go and bring her and Adam back." Barnabas was too weak to argue, he just wanted his wife back with him and safe.

Jeff Clark entered the parlor where everyone had moved and went to Danni's side and knelt by her, "I could not find him, I went around the island four times."

"Julia, you and Clark should come with me, let Mrs. Clark and Mr. Collins rest, we know where they went. "

Julia shook her head. "I think we should all go and you can Jeff can bring Adam back and I can stay with Vicki and Barnabas get them settled at the Plantation."

Eric was about to argue the point when he saw the determined stubborn look on Julia's face. "Fine, we need to go before they move again."

Danni shook her head. "They are too tired, Vicki is asleep that is how we were able to find her."

Barnabas nodded, "And Adam is asleep they are both exhausted but I get a very protective feeling coming from Adam, he must have seen this place in my mind and knew she would be safe there, he is now at rest and his mind is open but not receptive to suggestions."

Danni nodded, "Mrs. Collins is more awake in her sleep. She feels safe in his company and protective of him, a nurturing kind of protective."

Lang hustled them out of the house into the large car. "I know where this place is, I tried to buy it some years back, I was going to use it as my clinic but it was tied up in probate and had been for over sixty years, they were attempting to locate the owner, a Mr. Barnabas Collins and imagine my surprise when I finally met you."

Lang started the car and set the car in the direction of the Planation, "It is time we bring home my creation and get you reunited with your wife Mr. Collins."


End file.
